World History 101: Rethinking-Early-History - Social Leveling Mechanisms, How Pleistocene Humans Actively Reduced Inequality

? What this actually is

Social Leveling Mechanisms: How Pleistocene Humans Actively Reduced Inequality

You might have learned in school that the rise of agriculture and the state led to the development of more complex societies, and that this complexity inevitably led to greater social inequality. However, this narrative is incomplete and inaccurate. In reality, many ancient human societies actively worked to reduce inequality, using various social leveling mechanisms to maintain a relatively equal distribution of resources and power.

One common myth is that the Agricultural Revolution led to the emergence of complex societies and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few elites. However, the actual evidence suggests that many early agricultural societies were surprisingly egalitarian, with mechanisms in place to prevent the accumulation of wealth and power by a few individuals.

? Key ideas (from the scholars)

1. Social leveling mechanisms were widespread in ancient societies

• Associated with: David Graeber and David Wengrow
• Summary: Graeber and Wengrow argue that many ancient societies had mechanisms in place to prevent the accumulation of wealth and power by a few individuals, such as communal ownership of land, shared resources, and social norms that discouraged individual accumulation.
• Example: The ancient Sumerian city of Uruk, which had a system of communal land ownership and a social hierarchy that was relatively flat.

2. The Agricultural Revolution was not a single event, but a process that occurred in many different regions

• Associated with: James C. Scott
• Summary: Scott argues that the Agricultural Revolution was a gradual process that occurred in many different regions, and that it was not a single event that led to the emergence of complex societies.
• Example: The spread of agriculture from the Fertile Crescent to other regions of the world, such as the Indus Valley and Mesoamerica.

3. Social complexity without the state was possible

• Associated with: Peter Turchin
• Summary: Turchin argues that social complexity was possible without the emergence of a centralized state, and that many ancient societies were able to maintain a high level of social complexity without the need for a state.
• Example: The ancient city of Çatalhöyük, which had a complex social hierarchy and a system of communal ownership without a centralized state.

? Hidden rule nobody explains

The "Law of the Jungle" is a myth

Many people assume that the natural state of human societies is one of competition and conflict, with the strong dominating the weak. However, this assumption is based on a myth that has been perpetuated by Western cultural narratives. In reality, many ancient human societies were able to maintain a relatively peaceful and egalitarian social order through the use of social leveling mechanisms.

? The deeper story

The conventional version: The Agricultural Revolution led to the emergence of complex societies and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few elites.

However, this narrative is based on a number of assumptions that are not supported by the evidence. For example, many early agricultural societies were surprisingly egalitarian, with mechanisms in place to prevent the accumulation of wealth and power by a few individuals.

The evidence that complicates or overturns it:

• Archaeological evidence from sites such as Göbekli Tepe and Çatalhöyük, which show that early agricultural societies were able to maintain a relatively high level of social complexity without the need for a centralized state.
• Ethnographic evidence from modern hunter-gatherer societies, which show that these societies are able to maintain a relatively egalitarian social order through the use of social leveling mechanisms.

? Why this still matters

Understanding the social leveling mechanisms that were used in ancient societies can help us to develop more effective strategies for reducing inequality in modern societies. By recognizing that social complexity is not necessarily tied to the emergence of a centralized state, we can begin to imagine new forms of social organization that are more equitable and just.

? Your move today

Goal: Read a primary source excerpt on the social leveling mechanisms used in ancient societies.

Step-by-step:

1. Choose a primary source excerpt on the social leveling mechanisms used in ancient societies (e.g. a passage from the Epic of Gilgamesh or a description of the social hierarchy of ancient Sumeria).
2. Read the excerpt carefully and take notes on the social leveling mechanisms described.
3. Reflect on how these mechanisms might be applied in modern societies to reduce inequality.

What to save: A one-paragraph summary of the social leveling mechanisms used in ancient societies, and a list of key terms and concepts.

? Resource asset for today

Glossary of key terms:

• Social leveling mechanisms: mechanisms used to prevent the accumulation of wealth and power by a few individuals
• Communal ownership: a system of land ownership where land is held in common by a community
• Shared resources: a system where resources are shared among members of a community
• Social norms: unwritten rules that govern behavior in a society

Timeline:

• 10,000 BCE: The Agricultural Revolution begins in the Fertile Crescent
• 6,000 BCE: The first cities emerge in Mesopotamia
• 4,000 BCE: Social leveling mechanisms become widespread in ancient societies

Common misunderstandings & nuance

2 common misinterpretations:

• Misinterpretation 1: Social leveling mechanisms were only used in ancient societies, and are not relevant to modern societies.
• Misinterpretation 2: Social leveling mechanisms are only used in egalitarian societies, and are not relevant to societies with a high level of social complexity.

1 important nuance:

• Nuance: Social leveling mechanisms are not a single, monolithic phenomenon, but rather a complex set of mechanisms that vary across different societies and historical periods.

1 sign you're understanding it correctly:

• Sign: You can explain in your own words why social leveling mechanisms were used in ancient societies, and how they might be applied in modern societies to reduce inequality.