Great Valley Society

Noname · **on:** May 19, 2009, 09:56:27 PM

What sort of society/government do you think the Great Valley has. We know that the dinosaurs meet at that stone arch to discuss things, and that Littlefoot's Grandfather and Tops (Cera's father) are the leaders/alpha males.

Kor · **Reply #1 on:** May 19, 2009, 11:11:13 PM

There may have been a thread like this somewhere. I'm not sure.

It seems to be a type of society where folks are allowed to speak and the majority votes on what to do, with usually the folks being split between Grandpa Longneck and Cera's dad. I don't recall where in what movie, but I recall, I think, where Littlefoot was not sure if he could speak at the meeting place, but Grandpa Longneck saying something that meant, I think, that all were welcome to speak there, so maybe kids are allowed, or ones past a certain age if allowed by one of the main 2 leaders.

Noname · **Reply #2 on:** May 20, 2009, 01:09:22 AM

Not sure. Still, that is a good conclusion.

Kor · **Reply #3 on:** May 20, 2009, 01:36:59 AM

Though usually the adults end up arguing, some on Grandpa Longneck's side, & some one Threehorn's side, which results in them doing nothing and the kids doing what needs doing.

Noname · **Reply #4 on:** May 20, 2009, 02:28:23 AM

Sounds sort of ineffective, isn't it?

Malte279 · **Reply #5 on:** May 20, 2009, 02:57:05 AM

While Littlefoot's grandpa and Cera's Dad are usually the ones to express their opinions most prominently they are not provided with any official "authority". Nobody is obliged to do what they say, though many seem to have grown accustomed to follow one of their suggestions. There are cases, most notably in LBT 7, where someone speaks up against Cera's Dad while so far Littlefoot's grandpa has been presented as kind of infallible.
LBT 7 also gives very clear information in the flashback about Pterano which states that in the herd decisions were made as a group with nobody's opinion outweighing that of anyone else.
The dinosaurs of LBT live in many ways a much less complex live than humans do nowadays and therefore do not require as complex political systems. In a sense their system seems to be one of direct democracy which (excepting occasional votes on certain decisions) has become largely abandoned with the growth of human societies (there were examples of direct democracy in ancient Greece).
We have seen herds in LBT that were led in a more autocratic manner (LBT 7, 8, and 10), but they were always herds of a single kind, longnecks, respectively spiketails. My interpretation is that the herds of the different kinds were mixed together as a result from the tearing up of former herds and families by the great earthquake in the original movie. It is not likely that everyone would have submitted easily to the direct leadership of one of another kind at that time. Ineffective as it may be in a world of different opinions direct democracy is still perhaps the most liberal political systems existing, but it is also one that cannot be maintained in countries with populations as large as ours. Sheer disinterest in state affairs would be problematic (in ancient Athens you had to pay a high fee if you were found not to appear / be late to a meeting in which people had to vote on political matters).

Noname · **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2009, 11:41:23 PM

An autocratic herd in the 10th movie? Are you referring to Bron's herd? We know little of him and his herd, so it may not be fair to say this about him... if that IS the case. In all likelihood, he was the de facto leader due to his being larger than the other sauropods seen in the flashback that gathered around him when he mentioned that he had a herd.