Introduction
Introduction

Summary/Abstract: Power building and maintenance of power, both inside political communities and between them, has been a central issue in human society, and understanding this is crucial for comprehending the functioning of any socio-political or regional unit. Concentration of power in to the hands of a ruling elite can produce statehood, which can be conceptualised as a product of gradual accumulation and monopolisation of physical (i.e. predominantly military), economic, social and ideological power by the rulers. Comparable processes can lead to the formation of large centrally controlled political units – hegemonical systems where a dominating polity, often but not universally ruled by a narrow elite, has established its control over a large surrounding area.

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