Tribal politics is not limited to Native Americans and can be seen in various political groups based on common ethnic or cultural factors. It involves a decision-making process and maintaining order within the group. Religion, political party affiliations, and ethnic background can also be the basis for tribal unity. However, tribal politics can create barriers between subgroups and hinder communication and growth. The ideal balance is when everyone’s concerns can be heard.
The phenomenon of tribal politics in the United States, while often thought of as a term that refers only to Native Americans, is actually a concept that applies to a number of political groups within the country.
At its root, tribal politics is concerned with the identity of a given group which is based on common ethnic or cultural factors which are thought to fuse the group into a functioning political unit. While there may be some disagreement within the group, ultimately all concerned rally behind a common purpose, even if there is some difference of opinion on how to express that common purpose.
The concept is based on the model of Indian tribes and how an Indian tribe would be governed by tribal leaders, even within a contained society, such as on Indian reservations today. The model continues by making use of the decision-making process that develops among those on the reservation, what powers are given to central tribal councils, and how order is maintained within the group.
It has been noted that many groups within our larger culture employ a similar model to function as a subset of our society. For example, people of the same religion may form a group where tribal politics will be employed to give direction and a common sense of purpose to like-minded individuals. Within the group, individuals will emerge who are empowered to make statements that are believed to represent the entire body. In turn, the group will establish mechanisms that allow for confirmation of orthodoxy among all members of the group, as a way of ensuring that order is maintained. This will obviously require the deployment of skills to win majority support, as well as talents to maintain support once it has been given. Thus, some tribal politics come into play within this religion-based subgroup.
Factors other than religion can also be the basis for tribal unity and thus employ tribal politics to maintain the status quo. Political party affiliations can be used as a means of identifying with a given group and can require strong adherence to ground rules and codes of conduct, just as in the religious model. Ethnic background can also be a powerful foundation for forming a tribe, with politics providing the motivation to function as a unified front.
While forming groups or tribes has many benefits, such as clear communication and the establishment of traditions that should be observed, tribal politics can also have a downside. Sometimes, tribal politics may work well for the subgroup but act as a barrier between the various subgroups. Without the ability to communicate with and learn from each other, a subgroup will continue to grow inward and eventually stagnate. The ideal balance is when tribal politics can allow people with similar ideas or backgrounds to have a unified, yet unheard voice to the exclusion of the voices of other tribes. When everyone’s concerns can be heard, the opportunity for equality exists, even if it remains a goal rather than a reality.
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