Illustrate the differences between what we refer to as civilized” societies and those which are “underdeveloped” or “primitive.” To avoid stereotyping, it is important to support every general point with at least three specific examples.
Civilization, in a general sense, is a complex form of society that involves the formation of states, subsistence from agriculture, and settlements in cities. Members of civilization follow an organized social division where some work as laborers while others function as rulers. In the normative sense, there are civilized societies and primitive societies. The former is considered to be more complex and refined compared to the latter. Civilized people must have refinement in manners and become part of economic development and modernity. Primitive cultures lack a written form of language, technology, and live in small numbers.
The differences between primitive society from civilized society can be measured through their means of subsistence, settlement patterns, types of government, social hierarchy, economic patterns religion and literacy.
Subsistence
Primitive cultures have subsisted on agriculture as a means of living for centuries. They stored grains, built mud houses, and hunted wild animals for food using crude instruments like spears and sticks. Their organizations were simple. The Koori in New South Wales, the Murri in Queensland, and the Palawah in Tasmania are three examples of Australian primitive cultures that used traditional methods of division and sharing of resources as part of communal social cohesion. They relied on native plants and animals for food, medicine, and lifestyle. Members of each group had their roles in gathering resources to be shared among them; it was not in their nature to have more than what they needed. Hunters caught prey for meat that would again be shared among the members of the tribe.
Compared to civilized societies, farmers in the United States and other similar societies use technological advancements to till the land. Mechanical equipment has been developed to aid farmers in planting and harvesting. In a civilized society, not everyone is involved in the food-production process; some have no involvement at all. Additionally, in modern societies, individuals are permitted to acquire more than what they need as long as they can afford it. Due to the size of civilized societies, members tend to prioritize their families over others.
Settlement Patterns
Primitive societies were typically either nomadic or settled farmers. Nomadic societies were generally small in number and made camps near sources of food and water. They moved frequently in search of game and other resources. Some groups, however, were semi-settled, like the Australian primitive groups mentioned above who had villages. The abundance of wildlife and food supply in areas like Murray, Australia allowed these primitive groups to stay semi-permanently in the area. The Aetas of the Philippines are believed to have come from Papua New Guinea due to their physical resemblance. This group is said to have traveled to Asia when the continents were connected by land bridges.
Members of civilized societies have their roots in one community or another. These settlements are called cities or towns, with fortified defenses and roads. They don’t just wander from place to place as their fancies take them; they generally go to cities to earn a living and seek their fortunes. A civilized individual typically settles in one place for a lifetime, while others may move around for work but eventually return home.
Centuries ago, expeditions were launched using modern ships and technology to spread culture to what the civilized world called primitives” or “barbarians.” In areas reached by civilized people, primitive cultures were made to adopt norms and cultures dissimilar from their own.
Political Organization
In primitive societies, which were small in number, informal leaders were often selected based on their strength and capacity to lead the group in fighting and hunting. In larger groups, tribal chiefs and councils ruled as leaders. In much bigger groups, being a chief or king was hereditary. Selection and governance were not very complex. Among primitive Mayan cultures, nepotism prevailed in the ruling class where the king was succeeded by his son. However, being a Mayan king was not as easy as being a king of England since a Mayan king-in-waiting had to take a captive in war to be killed as an offering when he succeeds to the throne.
On the other hand, civilized societies such as England have different rules for succession. Prince Charles has inherited his birthright to be King when Queen Elizabeth steps down from the throne without having to make any sacrifices like killing captives which is unthinkable in English society.
Also, in modern societies, there are plentiful political organizations and complex forms of government. Some civilized societies practice democracy, while others follow communism or other types of governance. In a democratic nation like the United States, the country’s leader is chosen through a voting process. Candidates have to seek votes during the campaign period. Although no bloody wars happen, word wars could ensue. Civilized politicians use other means to defeat their opponents.
Social Hierarchy
The existence of formalized social strata in present societies is rare. Delineations do exist, but they are often defined by wealth and political status. These differences are subtle and unwritten, but they nevertheless exist. For instance, poor people are not legally bound to marry below their stations, but social norms could hinder a union with a person belonging to a materially abundant family. In other civilized cultures, social hierarchies were based on birthright.
In India’s caste system, a baby born to slave parents will also be a slave when they grow up. However, slave systems around the world are continually being abolished. In Saudi Arabia’s monarchy, a member of the royal family will always have privileges that an ordinary Arabian won’t have.
In primitive cultures, social hierarchy existed but was not as pronounced, particularly in bands and tribes. While a chief holds the highest office, an ordinary tribe member could win his daughter’s hand if he is deemed worthy through a fair contest of strength among the daughter’s suitors. Smaller groups do not have slaves; everyone has their own assigned tasks. In bigger groups where there are kings and queens, slaves serve their masters while soldiers fight for the entire clan.
Economic Patterns
Primitive cultures follow simple economic models. They farm, hunt, gather, and distribute goods to each clan member based on their needs. Tribes and bands may occasionally trade with one another to obtain unique goods that are specific to certain tribes. However, these exchanges are often crude and do not follow defined rules or principles. For instance, one community in Korea might trade animal skins for salt from another tribe.
In modern societies, the production and distribution of resources follow more complicated mediums. Centralized governments facilitate production and distribution while creating laws to govern trade exchanges. Hundreds of laws cover trading from grains to metals to crude products. Typically, two people trade using currencies. However, to obtain goods from a different state, the usual currency for goods exchange is not enough. Permits or licenses must be obtained and taxes paid.
Taxes are also an essential part of civilized communities because there are services and facilities available to everyone such as roads and bridges that require maintenance funds made by exacting taxes from people’s earnings. The nearest form of taxation in primitive cultures was the payment of tributes to kings or rulers.
Religion
Religion is one of the easiest ways to differentiate a civilized society from that of a primitive one. A society that is considered underdeveloped worships idols and nature. These societies have shamans or religious elders who lead rituals of praise, healing, and petitions. They have idols made of wood or stones in which people believe could protect them from enemies and droughts, as well as provide them with food and clothing. They perform dances as a way of praising their deities and offer blood sacrifices, animals or humans, to appease their gods.
The Cherokee religion was based on balance. The Cherokee believe in atoning for sin to restore the balance of the world that has been upset by wrongdoing.
In civilized societies, religious groups are organized in a hierarchical manner. In the Roman Catholic Church, for instance, the highest form of office is the Papacy, followed by Cardinals, Bishops and Priests. Modern religious practices do not include idolatry; instead of rituals, Mass takes its place. Modern religions believe in one true God who holds power over all living and non-living things; Christians believe in Jesus as the Son of God while Muslims believe that Allah is God. Other forms of organized religions include Judaism, Buddhism and Protestantism.
Religion has been used by civilized people as a means to befriend or conquer primitive or undeveloped cultures. For example, Ferdinand Magellan used Catholicism to spread Spanish rule to Asia Pacific.
Literacy
Primitive peoples had their own way of writing, which differed from the writing systems used in civilized societies. They used symbols to represent words or events. In modern societies, a formalized system was developed for recording events and communicating. The English Alphabet is widely used by most countries, while the Japanese have developed their own writing systems: Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji. Additionally, there are Arabic letters and Chinese characters for writing. However, all these writing systems follow well-defined rules that can be passed on from one generation to another.
References
- Brandy, M. (2002, June 2). Society: Primitive and Civil, Chiefdom and State. Retrieved January 24, 2008, from http://andean.kulture.org/bandy/dissertation/node7.html
- Rutledge, M. (1995). Cherokee Law. Retrieved January 24, 2008, from http://cherokeehistory.com/law.html
- Sociopolitical Organization. (1999, December 1). Social Organizational Forms. Retrieved January 24, 2008 from http://www.cabrillo.edu/~crsmith/sociopolit_org.html
- Retrieved January 24th of the year two thousand eight from http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/enrc/inquiries/old/enrc/unff/report/util6-02.htm Subsistence And Cultural Use By Aboriginal Communities.
- Welker G. (1998 September ninth). Mayan Civilization Indigenous Peoples’ Literature Retrieved January twenty-fourth of the year two thousand eight from http://www.indians.org/welker/maya.htm.
