ABSTRACT
A common language, culture, and religion may be shared by several social groups which are politically quite distinct and independent of one another. Even the practice of intermarriage resulting in kinship bonds between groups does not necessarily lead to their political unity. The right and ability to use force is often regarded as a distinctive feature of 'political' life. The forces of physical compulsion in a Sonjo village reside mainly with the warrior age-sets. In analysing the village political constitution, then, one should particularly note the control and application of this force both in war and in law. Sonjo society is constituted of six different but similar communities. There is no central authority for the whole society. Considered separately, the communities lack the essential features of segmentary stateless societies. Each community is unified under a central government with political power being assigned to a hereditary group of elders.
