Definition: Morton Fried (1923–1986) was an American anthropologist known for his contributions to the study of social organization, kinship, and political anthropology, particularly in the context of Chinese society and theories of social stratification.
Overview: Morton Fried was a prominent figure in 20th-century anthropology, serving as a professor at Columbia University for much of his academic career. He conducted ethnographic research in Taiwan and was particularly interested in the social structure and kinship systems of Chinese peasant societies. Fried is widely recognized for his theoretical work on the evolution of social inequality and the development of the concept of the "state" in human societies. His 1967 book, The Evolution of Political Society, is considered a foundational text in political anthropology, where he adapted and critiqued evolutionary frameworks proposed by earlier anthropologists such as Lewis Henry Morgan and Elman Service.
Etymology/Origin: The name "Morton Fried" consists of a given name, "Morton," of English origin, and a surname, "Fried," likely of German or Ashkenazi Jewish origin, meaning "peace" in German. The name itself does not carry specialized anthropological meaning but refers specifically to the individual.
Characteristics: Fried's anthropological work is characterized by a materialist and evolutionary perspective. He emphasized the role of environmental pressures, technological development, and sociopolitical competition in shaping social hierarchies. One of his central contributions was distinguishing between different types of social systems—bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states—and analyzing the mechanisms through which egalitarian societies transition into stratified ones. Fried was also a critic of idealist interpretations in anthropology, advocating instead for analyses grounded in historical and material contexts.
Related Topics:
– Political anthropology
– Social stratification
– Kinship studies
– Chinese ethnography
– Evolutionary theory in anthropology
– Critique of cultural evolution (e.g., debates with Julian Steward and Elman Service)
– Columbia University anthropology department
Fried's work remains influential in discussions of state formation and inequality, though some of his evolutionary models have been challenged by more recent approaches emphasizing agency, symbolism, and historical contingency.