For Gledhill, the key factor in Chacoan development is long distance trade with Mexico, specifically the Toltec Empire. But, Gledhill is clear to point out that he does not see Chaco as a Toltec colony. Turquoise is the main commodity moving south to Mesoamerica. The dependence of hamlet populations was reinforced by the elite's ability to accumulate foreign prestige goods. Intense status rivalry among elites from different town groups is another aspect of Gledhill's model.
Competition is about securing rank at the top of the social hierarchy.
But, for Gledhill, effective centralization of power was never achieved in the Chaco. This process drives up the level of agrarian production, which comes increasingly to be used for political purposes. Disruption of the Mesoamerican demand for turquoise and other prestige goods also contributed to the Chacoan collapse. However, McGuire's work is not about Chaco per se, but rather the late PIII abandonment of the northern Southwest. For McGuire a kin-ordered mode of production is one in which kinship relations define the relations of production.