Who are the flocks and Herdsmen?

[High prince of geeks he/him]

In one of the earlier visions Dalinar is talking to a Knight Radiant and she says

 

"Every pasture needs three things, Flocks to grow herdsmen to tend, and watchers at the rim. We of Alethela are those watchers- the warriors who protect and fight. We maintain the terrible arts of killing, then pass them on to others when the Desolations comes"

 So who are the herdsmen and flock, and are there jobs?

[Kobold King he/him]

I would have thought the common people, those who are neither leaders nor warriors, would make up the "flock."

[High prince of geeks he/him]

But the way the watchmen are all of Althkar made it seam like countries would be "the flock" not just the comminers

[A Joe in the Bush]

Like the Highprinces and the Heralds, each of the ten Silver kingdoms had one Role. Alethkar's role was that of War. The herdsmen were another kingdom. I'm betting Shin kak Nish.

[dvoraen]

In one of the earlier visions Dalinar is talking to a Knight Radiant and she says

 So who are the herdsmen and flock, and are there jobs?

It's just a metaphor for tradesmen, farmers, craftsmen, artists, scientists, and so on.  Society can't function without people to practice trades, ideas and innovation.  Those of Alethela functioned as the defense of that (Silver Kingdom) society.  I didn't think there was any deeper meaning to it.

[Mimiddle04]

But the way the watchmen are all of Althkar made it seam like countries would be "the flock" not just the comminers

 

"The Flock" is the other countries, or those countries' peoples, depending how you look at it.  Alethkar was established to protect so other countries could focus on things besides war. The people of those other countries are more important than the countries themselves though. So "The Flock" that she speaks of is everyone else in the world so they don't have to focus on war and can advance society in other ways.

 

If you want a specific answer to which countries she is talking about I'd say she meant the other Silver Kingdoms.  Here is a Link to what the Silver Kingdoms are on the Wiki.  

 

But again who "The Flock" is made up of doesn't affect her metaphor.  She just means in any world there are fighters, leaders, and everyone else.  And the fighters are there so the "everyone elses" can flourish without having to become fighters.  

 

As stated above, "the Herdsmen" are the leaders of those other countries or peoples.