The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is states or state-level societies.
The phrase “The breakdown of chiefdoms eventually led to the development of states” describes a fundamental transition in the history of human social and political organization. This process, known as state formation, marks the shift from a smaller, less complex society to a larger, more centralized, and stratified one.
A chiefdom is a form of political organization typically larger than a tribe but smaller and less complex than a state. It is characterized by a hereditary leader, the chief, who holds centralized authority over several villages or communities. Society in a chiefdom is ranked, meaning people’s social standing is determined by their genealogical relationship to the chief. The chief often controls the economy through a system of redistribution, collecting surplus goods and reallocating them.
However, chiefdoms are often inherently unstable. Their breakdown can be caused by a variety of internal and external pressures. Internal factors include succession disputes among potential heirs, the inability of the chief to manage a growing population and its resources, or the failure of the redistribution system. External factors can include warfare with other groups, environmental disasters that undermine the agricultural base, or conquest.
When a chiefdom collapses or proves inadequate, the need for a more robust system of governance arises, leading to the development of a state. States differ from chiefdoms in several key ways. They possess a true government with a formal bureaucracy, a standing army, and codified laws. Power is no longer solely based on kinship but is institutionalized. States hold a monopoly on the legitimate use of force within their territory. Society becomes stratified into distinct social classes, such as rulers, priests, warriors, and commoners, rather than just being ranked by lineage. This new structure allows for the administration of larger populations and territories, the undertaking of massive public works like irrigation systems, and the management of more complex economies and trade networks.
