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insocietieswithoutaState,powerisnotfoundonthesideofthechief:itfollowsthathiswordcannotbethewordofpower,authority,orcommand.Anorder?Nowthereissomethingthechiefwouldbeunabletogive;thatisthekindoffullnesshisspeechisdenied.Achiefforgetfulofhisdutywhoattemptedsuchathingasanorderwouldbemetbyasurerefusalofobedience,andadenialofrecognitionwouldnotbefarbehind.

Alaykin,ther,varchiefofatribeinhabitingtheArgenrinianChaco,gaveaverygooddelinitionofthatnormalrelationshipinhisreplytoaSpanishofficerw'howastryingtoconvincehimtodraghistribeintoawaritdidnotwant:"TheAbipones,byacustomhandeddownbytheirancestors,followtheirownbiddingandnotthatoftheircacique.Iamtheirleader,butIcouldnotbringharmtoanyofmypeoplewithoutbringingharmtomyself;ifIweretouseordersorforcewithmycomrades,theywouldturntheirbacksonmeatonce.Iprefertobelovedandnotfearedbythem."(208)

ThefirstexplorersofBrazilandtheethnographerswhocameafteroftenemphasi

zedthefactthatthemostnotablecharacteristicoftheIndianchiefconsistsofhisalmostcompletelackofauthority;amongthesepeoplethepoliticalfunctionappearsbarelydifferentiated.Thoughitisscatteredandinadequate,thedocumentationwehavelendssupporttothatvividimpressionofdemocracycommontoallthosewhostudiedAmericansocieties.(28)

IhavecarefullyobservedthedemeanourofthemembersofthegrouptowardstheirallegedchiefKhrammi.Nospecialdeferenceispaidtohimexceptthatwhenhemovesaboutwithothershewalksinfrontofthesinglefile.Whenthepartysitsdownhetakesupnospecialposition.Hisclothing,weapons,andlodgeareinnowaysuperiortothoseoftheordinarypeople.Noparticulardeferenceispaidtohimatanytime.

Evans-Pritchard:

Withinatribethereislaw:thereismachineryforsettlingdisputesandamoralobligationtoconcludethemsoonerorlater.Ifamankillsafellowtribesman,itispossibletoprevent,orcurtail,afeudbypaymentofcattle.Betweentribeandtribethereisnomeansofbringingtogetherthepartiestoadisputeandcompensationisneitherofferednordemanded.Thus,ifamanofonetribekillsamanofanothertribe,retributioncanonlytaketheformofintertribalwarfare.Itmustnotbesupposedthatfeudswithinatribeareeasytoconclude.Thereisconsiderablecontroloverretaliationwithinavillage,butthelargerthelocalcommunitythemoredifficultsettlementbecomes.Whentwolargedivisionsofatribeareconcernedinafeud,thechancesofimmediatearbitration

andsettlementareremote.Theforceoflawvarieswiththedistanceintribalstructurethatseparatesthepersonsconcerned.Nevertheless,solongasasenseofcommunityenduresandthelegalnormisformallyacknowledgedwithinatribe,whatevermaybetheinconsistenciesandcontradictionsthatappearintheactualrelationsbetweentribesmen,theystillconsiderthemselvestobeaunitedgroup.

Theleopard-skinchiefmayalsoactasmediatorindisputesconcerningownershipofcattle,andheandtheeldersonbothsidesmayexpresstheiropiniononthe

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meritsofacase.Butthechiefdoesnotsummonthedefendants,forhehasneithercourtnorjurisdictionand,moreover,hasnomeansofcompellingcompliance.Allhecandoistogowiththeplaintiffandsomeeldersofhiscommunitytothehomeofthedefendantandtoaskhimandhiskinsmentodiscussthematter.Onlyifbothsidesarewillingtosubmittoarbitrationcanitbesettled.

TheNuerconstitutionishighlyindividualisticandlibertarian.Itisanacephalousstate,lackinglegislative,judicial,andexecutiveorgans.Nevertheless,itisfarfromchaotic.Ithasapersistentandcoherentformwhichmightbecalled'orderedanarchy'.Theabsenceofcentralizedgovernmentandofbureaucracyinthenation,inthetribe,andintribalsegments-foreveninthevillageauthorityisnotvestedinanyone-islessremarkablethantheabsenceofanypersonswhorepresenttheunityandexclusivenessofthesegroups.