UNDERSTANDING DECENTRALIZATION THROUGH AMC'S THE WALKING DEAD
LAW
IN THE WALKING DEAD
Are the communities in The Walking Dead free to develop their own laws, free to choose those who will adjudicate disputes, and free to choose how these laws will be enforced? (Gevers, 2014)
COMMUNITY
Does the community have decentralized law?
Explanation
Rick is a former deputy sheriff so law is central to Rick's life, but how active are the average Alexandrians in terms of creating a platform for decentralized law as defined above? Well, sort of. People on occasion have played the role of both arbiter and enforcer of the law in Alexandria (Michonne, Deanna, even Carl) (The Walking Dead, 2010-2018). But overall, Alexandria gets a reluctant up arrow vote for decentralized law.
ALEXANDRIA
Picture of Rick. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2018, from http://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast-crew
The Walking Dead [Television series]. (2010-2018). New York, NY: AMC Network Entertainment, LLC.
THE SAVIORS
As demonstrated in the previous video, Negan is the law in his community- so much so that each member is forced to identify himself or herself as "Negan" in order openly state their symbolic incorporation into Negan's "body" of followers. This act of psychological subjugation is purposeful and establishes a strong (and sick) sense of responsibility on the part of the saviors. That responsibility is don't step out of line in any way or face severe consequences (The Walking Dead, 2010-2018).The Saviors get a big arrow down vote for decentralized law.
Picture of Negan. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2018, from http://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast-crew
The Walking Dead [Television series]. (2010-2018). New York, NY: AMC Network Entertainment, LLC.
The only reason Maggie and the Hilltop get a mixed arrow vote on this is because for the majority of time there is a power struggle between the previous leader of the Hilltop, Gregory. Therefore, once Maggie takes over, she has to rule with more cunning to establish her presence- a very centralized characteristic (The Walking Dead, 2010-2018). Maggie and the Hilltop get a reluctant mixed arrow vote for decentralized law.
HILLTOP
Picture of Maggie. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2018, from http://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast-crew
The Walking Dead [Television series]. (2010-2018). New York, NY: AMC Network Entertainment, LLC.
THE KINGDOM
As mentioned in the section on communication, Ezekiel allows freedom of thought and communication in his group, but he is still the King. The same is true for their system of law. People have input, but Ezekiel still makes the ultimate decisions on such things (The Walking Dead, 2010-2018). Ezekiel gets a mixed arrow vote for decentralized law.
Picture of Ezekiel. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2018, from http://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast-crew
The Walking Dead [Television series]. (2010-2018). New York, NY: AMC Network Entertainment, LLC.
OCEANSIDE
Oceanside seems torn when considering the two laws they have chosen to live by; to kill all strangers who enter their territory, and to not fight the Saviors As you get to know them, you begin to understand their reasoning for such a laws, but it is obvious, in spite of their reasoning, that quite a few people disagree with both of those laws and their voices are not considered until much later in the show. Cyndie and Oceanside, therefore, get a strong mixed arrow vote for decentralized law (The Walking Dead, 2010-2018).
Picture of Cyndie. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2018, from http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/File:Cyndie_Season_7.jpg
The Walking Dead [Television series]. (2010-2018). New York, NY: AMC Network Entertainment, LLC.
THE TRASH PEOPLE
There are only a few standards of the Trash People known to the TV viewers, but it seems like everyone in the group has agreed upon them. One is the choice of the group to live and communicate in a minimalist fashion, so that they reduce language to its most essential elements, and the other is that they don't "bother", they "take" (The Walking Dead, 2010-2018). In those few instances of revealed systems which they have chosen to live by cooperatively (The Walking Dead, 2010-2018). The Trash People get an arrow up for decentralized law.
Picture of Jadis. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2018, from http://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast-crew
The Walking Dead [Television series]. (2010-2018). New York, NY: AMC Network Entertainment, LLC.
Gevers, Johann (2014). The four pillars of a decentralized society | Johann Gevers | TEDxZug. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oeiOeDq_Nc