This work focuses on socio-economic orders and analyzes the structure and contents of the swidden or shifting agricultural system in two White Hmong communities in northern Thailand. The author investigates their geographical and demographic aspects in order to analyze specific patterns in the system, which can be seen in the socio-environmental contexts of the communities. Planting to produce the most food determines cultivation management. Technological improvement, environmental components and the relationship between the components defined by community members indicate the sophistication of the ethno-ecological process. It is found that the ethnic group still maintains their social solidarity despite pressures from the mainstream culture of lowlanders. Their political values depend on their residential relationship and the basic units of the political structure are household and village. Lineage system and kinship orders are evident in place of a political structure by joining members into an inter-dependent network. Family members are related to others in two ways: by bloodline and by marriage. Words expressing the idea of relationship orders include “yim” (a spatial household group), “cuab” (the smallest family unit consisting of bloodline and matrimonial relatives under the authority of a house hold leader), “kwutij” (patriarchal children), and “xeem”, which is polysemous. One meaning is the largest patriarchal group and the other meaning is similar to “cuab”, but not an entirely unique group like a subgroup in a system of groups. However, lineages are not necessarily a collective local group although they are often related to spatial units. Members of a lineage in a locality may view themselves in the same territorial or village group. Often, the group is patriarchally related, which determines community settlement patterns. Land around the community is regarded as “liag ia” (land and areas of the lineages). Cultivation rights form the basic principle of their socio-economic system. The basic principle is to reserve the right to cultivate the land to support the needs of the lineage. Marriage is used as a tool to bind lineages. It is a taboo to marry members of the same lineage. The dowry of the bride creates a social bond between individuals and defines/regulates their relationship until they become assimilated into the same kinship system. A social group is defined as having the same ancestors as well as common wealth and properties.