What is an elder? Most likely, almost everyone can answer this question. However, not everyone knows about the features and nuances of this term. Also, not many people are aware of the significance even these respected people have for some nations at present. What an elder will be described in the article.
Dictionary word
Studying the meaning of the word "elder," one should resort to an explanatory dictionary that says that these are the oldest and most experienced members of any kind, tribe, or whole nation. In this case, the term is accompanied by the mark "obsolete".
These people are highly respected and respected. Their power and high status are due to the fact that they have vast life experience and have a deep knowledge of customs and traditions. The elder is the leader of the social and economic life of the family. He also acts as a judge in resolving any disputes.
If the community has a tribal system, then there is a council of elders in it. He considers all issues that relate to the clan community or the entire tribe.
Continuing to consider what the elders are, it must be said that they possessed almost unlimited authority. Their advice or high representative could even resolve disputes and contradictions that arose between different genera. In some cases, complex disputes could be brought up for discussion by the public assembly.
Conversion
In ancient Athens, there was a council of elders with great power. Subsequently, it was converted into an Areopagus. It arose during the tribal system and consisted of representatives who had a lifelong membership.
The Areopagus was replenished at the expense of former archons (senior officials, military leaders). Candidates were elected by its current members. It should be noted that the representatives of the Areopagus had broad political, judicial, religious and controlling power. In other words, the elders were almost omnipotent.
The council consisted of nine representatives, who, in fact, were the stronghold of the aristocracy, and then the oligarchy. The main function was to monitor compliance with all laws, as well as the court in which cases related to the murder were considered.
Council in Parliament
Continuing to consider what an elder is, we note that their council existed in some parliaments. So, for example, this body was present in the German Bundestag. It was formed from representatives of various fractions. It was created in each house according to a certain quota: one representative from each federal state (Bavaria, Saxony, etc.). According to the Constitution, the Council of Elders is the official name of one of the parliamentary chambers.
Nowadays
In conclusion, consideration of the meaning of the outdated word "elder" must be said about the existence of such at the present time. In some nations, they stand at the head of the clan, having a certain power. For example, this is common among Chechens (teips), as well as among Turkic peoples, who call the elders “aksakals,” which translates as “white-bearded”.
In Chechens, the union of people who are related by blood relationship along the male line is called “teip”. Inside, they are divided into branches - "burning". Teips from the Chechens are united in nine tukhtum, which are the main national union. In teip, there is a council of elders with fairly broad powers.
It is also present in the tukhtum and in fact is the supreme council. The latter has almost unlimited powers, and absolutely all members of the communities and clans follow his decision. Currently, nine tukhtum include about one hundred mountain teips and about 70 plains.
Using the example of the Chechen Council of Elders, it can be argued that this is a fairly effective system of power. It has been preserved since the time of the ancient Greeks. Having gone through some transformation, such councils in fact have retained and concentrated in their hands a lot of branches of power.