Legal evolution and societal complexity

American Journal of Sociology Vol/Iss. 70 Published In Pages: 159-169
By Schwartz, Richard D., Miller, James C.

Hypothesis

"Elements of legal organization emerge in a sequence such that each constitutes a necessary condition for the next." The Guttman scale shows mediation at the first evolutionary level, police and mediation at the intermediate level, and counsel, police and mediation at the highest level. The simplest societies have none of these traits (160, 161, 163)

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
guttman scale, chi squareSupportedp<.001UNKNOWNUNKNOWN

Variables

Variable NameVariable Type OCM Term(s)
CounselDependentLegal And Judicial Personnel
Level Of Societal EvolutionIndependentSociocultural Trends
MediationDependentJudicial Authority
PoliceDependentPolice