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[–] cyclops1771 ago 

When Athens set up their democracy, due specifically to the main families/factions constantly fighting each other, and then once family A was in power (say the Pisistriads over the Alcamaeonids), they would exile the main people in family B. And then, tides would turn, and this would switch.

To counter this, they split up people and put them into demes (basically districts or neighborhoods), and everyone in those areas were deemed a new clan, not of blood, but of living area. Then, 3 demes were grouped together to form a third, and each of these came from separate areas (A USA comparison would be by state = deme. Then, you would group 3 states together (say, Ohio, Washington, and Alabama as a third or Texas, Rhode Island and Idaho as another third). Then, they would group 3 thirds together to form a tribe. This was done in order to break the ancient 'clan' ties that had led to factions, and create new lines of power and belonging, but that spread over many distinct areas, classes, and groups - sort of like if there were 10 political parties, and you were born to one.