House society

In the study of anthropology, a house society is a unique way of organizing people. Most societies use kinship, or family bloodlines, to create social groups. However, in a house society, membership is organized around a corporate dwelling. This means the group is built around a "House" rather than just a family tree. The House acts as a single, corporate body. It is often described as a "moral person." This metaphor means the House itself has a social identity. It is a group that holds an estate of both material and immaterial wealth. Material wealth includes physical goods and property. Immaterial wealth includes things like titles, names, and sacred origins.

To keep itself going, a House must perpetuate itself over many generations. It does this by transmitting its name, its goods, and its titles. This transmission follows a line that is considered legitimate. This line can be real or it can be imaginary. The continuity of the House is expressed through the language of kinship or affinity. A House society is a hybrid or transitional form. It sits between kin-based orders and class-based social orders. It is not one of the "elementary structures" of kinship described by scholars. Instead, it brings together many different social principles. These include rules about where people live and how they marry.

Membership in a House can be quite complex and variable. The House is often an "occasional kinship group." This means members do not always stay together. The highest-ranking members are the core group. They are usually the only ones who live in the actual residence. Other members are known as the "server group." These members might only come together for special ritual occasions. Most members have overlapping ties to many different Houses. They track their kin bilaterally, meaning through both the mother and the father. A person can claim membership in a House through several criteria. They might show they can contribute to the House's upkeep. They might also participate in its important rituals. Successful members may gain the right to use House resources.

The concept of the House society was originally proposed by Claude Lévi-Strauss. He called these groups "sociétés à maison." He developed this idea as an alternative to "corporate kinship groups." He used it to explain the organization of groups in the Pacific region. Since then, the concept has been applied to many different parts of the world. It helps researchers understand societies in Mesoamerica and the Moluccas. It is also used to study North Africa and medieval Europe. Scholars like Rosemary A. Joyce and Susan D. Gillespie have helped expand this study. They look at how social and material reproduction works within these groups.

House societies are often organized around social ranks rather than feudalism. While some scholars once thought these societies were always feudal, others disagree. For example, the scholar Schrauwers argues they are based on social ranks. A House might be a noble group, but it is not necessarily an economic class. In some cases, the House is tied to systems of slavery. Among the Kwakiutl Indians of the North-west coast of Canada, the House property included slaves. In these societies, the House's property consists of another social rank of individuals. This makes the idea of class and rank synonymous. Because slaves are considered property, they are prevented from forming their own Houses.

Politics plays a major role in how House societies function. There are three distinct types of political engagement. First, there is intra-House politics. This happens inside a single House to decide leadership and how to use resources. Second, there is inter-House politics. This involves competition between rival Houses. These rivalries can be connected through "agonistic exchange" institutions. One example of this is the Potlatch. Third, there is a politics of struggle between different classes. This involves the struggle between noble Houses and groups like commoners. Commoners often lack the resources to maintain their own House organization.

Leadership in a House is rarely decided by simple birth order. In many lineages, the oldest child might automatically become the leader. This is called primogeniture, but House societies often work differently. Instead, leadership is gained through status competition. This means people must prove their worth to gain power. In some Southeast Asian kingdoms, noble Houses competed for state control. This happened in the kingdom of Luwu in Sulawesi. It also happened in traditional kingdoms in Bali. These types of political structures are sometimes called "mandala states." The way Houses compete can shape the entire history of a region.