Bands, Tribes and Cheifdoms

From Guns, Germs and Steel on human social organization:

Bands – The original human social organization. Families. Sometimes extended into clans. 5-80 people. Hunters and gatherers. No political and social mechanisms. Egalitarian. Very few in existence today.

Tribes – Larger than bands, evolved ca 13.000 years ago. Up to a few hundred people. Made up of several clans. Fixed settlement in single village. Some food production. Egalitarian.

Cheifdoms – One or more villages. Class society. Centralized decision making and conflict resolution. Hereditary cheifs. Food production. Tributes (taxes). Luxury for elite. Disappeared in early 1900s.

States – Many villages and cities. Class society. Centralized decision making. Division of labor. Professionals (lawyers, judges, police, etc). Intensive food production. Taxes. Luxury for elite.

(This is very roughly recited from the book. Check out Chapter 14.)

Perhaps all evolution isn’t good? Maybe we should move backwards one or two steps…? Or preferably discuss what comes next. Perhaps sampling the best from history?

Re-evolve so to speak.

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