ABSTRACT
This chapter examines two overlapping fields of discussion—politics and economics—in which there have been newfound discoveries of inequality. As Evans-Pritchard reports, The ordered anarchy in which they live accords Well with their character, for it is impossible to live among Nuer and conceive of rulers ruling over them. The political organization of the Samburu was based upon a combination of a segmentary lineage system and an age-set system. The system of segmentary, balanced opposition was thus a deterrent to predatory adventures among the Nuer, who found alternative opportunity for predation with less risk against outsiders, primarily the Dinka. Without entering into a detailed and lengthy historical survey, let people just touch on some examples of the relations between tribes and states that illustrate the existence of tribes as independent polities. The Turkmen and Baluch were among the more remote tribes in Iran, located geographically along distant borders and politically beyond the sphere of effective state control.
