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Anthropologists have classified many types of non-state societies. Some non-state societies are also "acephalic" or leaderless.

Band and Clan societies are non-state and leaderless.

Weak Chiefdoms and Strong Chiefdoms are non-state but have leaders, elective or otherwise.

I can't remember where I first encountered this classification. Might have been "Seeing, Like A State" or "Against The Grain".
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Lady Mae - Growth Teacher 1y ago

doesn't each clan has a leader or head of clan? if yes, that is still a leader even if it is stateless.

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The Beave 1y ago

Not all clans did have a stated leader, and some only did for purposes of war.

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Lady Mae - Growth Teacher 1y ago

I see. How are they thriving? Do they still exist today? If not, what led to the demise of this type of structure and what challenges they faced?

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The Beave 1y ago

Very rare these days. Nation-states have subsumed most tribes behind arbitrary borders.

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Lady Mae - Growth Teacher 1y ago

I've seen tribes in the Amazon but not sure if they still exist to this day. But they have leader and they made an agreement with the local gov't so they can co-exist. They do trade outside their tribe too.