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Emergence of Classes in Tribes

The class system depends upon the development of culture. The higher the stage of culture and more complex it is the more class distinctions will be observed in it. This class distinction is not so clearly seen in tribal societies. The reason being that there is not much difference in the economic, social and political matters of the tribal societies. The natural resources are available to everyone and the political power is not clearly defined. There is very limited surplus wealth or property. Some rudimentary form of class system is found among western Apache people. In some other African tribes’ one may observe three or four professional classes such as the warriors, the artisans, the priests and the laymen. However in India some class distinctions are seen in Gonds and Bhils but not among Chenchu and Kamar tribes.But there is limited class consciousness among the tribal communities nor. The class is not the basis of social tensions and rivalries.