THE PROCESS OF ARTICULATION OF PRACTICES
The early leaders of tribes used rules to maintain order, but these rules were often not clearly defined in language; instead, they were understood through imitating actions. Language helped convey what actions were expected or prohibited, but it was not fully developed to express general rules. Individuals learned to act by seeing and copying others, gaining an intuitive understanding rather than articulating principles. In tribal and advanced communities, leaders use their authority to enforce established rules and to issue commands for specific tasks. The legitimacy of their authority can vary based on whether they are enforcing general rules or directing specific actions.
When rules were questioned, leaders had to articulate them, particularly in disputes. This process involved expressing long-standing practices verbally, aiming for common consent rather than creating new rules. However, the language used often fell short of fully capturing the complexity of actions people understood. As leaders began to articulate rules, it might unintentionally result in new rules that coexist with the old, still relying on the underlying unarticulated practices. Ultimately, even when new rules were needed, they were seen as discovering existing principles rather than inventing new ones, emphasizing a continuous process of maintaining and preserving established social order.
The early leaders of tribes used rules to maintain order, but these rules were often not clearly defined in language; instead, they were understood through imitating actions. Language helped convey what actions were expected or prohibited, but it was not fully developed to express general rules. Individuals learned to act by seeing and copying others, gaining an intuitive understanding rather than articulating principles. In tribal and advanced communities, leaders use their authority to enforce established rules and to issue commands for specific tasks. The legitimacy of their authority can vary based on whether they are enforcing general rules or directing specific actions.
When rules were questioned, leaders had to articulate them, particularly in disputes. This process involved expressing long-standing practices verbally, aiming for common consent rather than creating new rules. However, the language used often fell short of fully capturing the complexity of actions people understood. As leaders began to articulate rules, it might unintentionally result in new rules that coexist with the old, still relying on the underlying unarticulated practices. Ultimately, even when new rules were needed, they were seen as discovering existing principles rather than inventing new ones, emphasizing a continuous process of maintaining and preserving established social order.