Tribe

A tribe is a category used to describe a specific type of human social group. In the field of anthropology, which is the study of human societies, the term helps researchers classify how people organize themselves. Anthropologists often place tribes in a hierarchy of social structures. They see a tribe as being larger than a single lineage or a clan. However, a tribe is usually smaller than an ethnicity, a nation, or a state. Because human societies are so diverse, the exact definition of a tribe is often debated by scholars.

Membership in a tribe is usually based on shared connections. These connections can include kinship, which refers to family ties or clans. People might also belong to a tribe because they share a common language, religion, or set of cultural practices. Some groups are defined by their shared dwelling place or political group. In some cases, membership is tied to ethnicity. These various factors create a sense of social or ideological solidarity among the members of the group.

Anthropologist Elman Service created a system to classify different types of human societies. He based his system on social inequality and the role of the state. The first category is hunter-gatherer bands, which are generally egalitarian. This means most members have similar social status. The second category is tribal societies, which may have limited instances of social rank or prestige. The third category includes stratified tribal societies, which are led by chieftains. The final category is civilizations, which feature complex social hierarchies and organized, institutional governments.

Research into how tribes develop is ongoing. Some archaeologists believe tribal structures were a way to adapt to unpredictable resources. These structures allowed people to coordinate the production and distribution of food. This flexibility helped groups manage times of scarcity without limiting people during times of surplus. Another scholar, Morton Fried, argued in 1967 that bands organized into tribes to resist the violence of early states. He suggested that tribes could act as a defense against exploitation by larger kingdoms.

In the modern era, the term "tribe" has become controversial. Many scholars argue that the concept is too simple for the complex reality of modern life. In 1970, J. Clyde Mitchell noted that many groups are now deeply involved with industrial nations. This involvement changes how traditional social structures work. Additionally, boundaries between tribes are often fluid and change over time. Morton Fried observed that some tribes include members with different languages or rituals. He concluded that tribes are often characterized by dynamism rather than being fixed or isolated.

Some tribes have a unique legal status within modern countries. In the United States, Native American tribes are considered "domestic dependent nations." This means they have a government-to-government relationship with the federal government. In India, certain groups are known as "Scheduled Tribes." These communities have reserved seats in legislatures and positions in government employment. This system was established after debates in the Constituent Assembly. For example, Jaipal Singh, a member of the Munda tribe, advocated for these protections for the Adibasi people.

Many surviving tribes are what Morton Fried called "secondary tribes." These are not always ancient structures. Instead, they may have developed as modern products of state expansion. Some were created by states to help manage large, remote areas of land. Others formed as a way for smaller bands to defend themselves against growing states. By forming a more centralized group, they could produce food surpluses to support a standing army. Today, examples of large tribal societies include the Pashtun people, who comprise over 60 million people. In Yemen, there are estimated to be between 200 and 400 tribes that remain very influential in politics.