Human societies transitioned to hierarchical structures due to the shift from nomadic to agricultural lifestyles around 12,000 years ago.
Material conditions dictate societal organization, influencing power dynamics and cultural values in smaller-scale societies.
Male dominance and patriarchy emerged from patrilocal residence patterns, shaping gender hierarchies based on practical considerations.
Deep dives
Hierarchy versus Equality in Politics
Politics revolves around the distribution of decision-making power, with the political left advocating for equality and the right supporting hierarchy. Early human societies leaned towards equality in nomadic hunter-gatherer bands before transitioning to hierarchical structures around 12,000 years ago with the emergence of agriculture. Immediate return foraging societies showcased more egalitarian structures, while sedentary farming communities like the Pacific Northwest Coast displayed pronounced hierarchies.
Materialist Lens on Human Politics
The podcast emphasizes viewing societal structures through a materialist lens to understand how practical conditions shape political systems. It rejects claims suggesting humans simply experimented with hierarchies and equality, arguing that material realities dictate societal organization. By examining smaller-scale societies like hunter-gatherer bands, the podcast highlights how economic activities and bargaining power influence power dynamics and cultural values.
Shift from Equality to Hierarchy with Agriculture
The transition to agriculture around 12,000 years ago marked a shift from egalitarianism to hierarchical societies due to the storage of wealth and power imbalances arising from fixed territories. Agricultural lifestyles enabled wealth accumulation and power dynamics favoring certain individuals, leading to the development of entrenched hierarchies over time.
Gender Hierarchy Emergence with Patrilocal Residences
Patrilocal residence patterns, common in societies prone to raids, led to male dominance and patriarchy. In patrilocal settings, where men stay with their families and women move to their husbands' families, men gain significant bargaining power, resulting in the institutionalization of gender hierarchies. Material conditions and practical considerations often inform residence patterns and gender roles, shaping societal power dynamics.
Impact of Material Realities on Social Evolution
Material realities play a crucial role in shaping cultural norms and power structures. Societies often adopt residence patterns and social hierarchies based on practical considerations, which in turn influence gender relations and power dynamics. By understanding how material conditions influence societal evolution, individuals can work towards altering power balances and effecting political change.
Empowering Action Through Materialist Analysis
While acknowledging the influence of material conditions on social structures, the podcast advocates for informed actions to change existing power dynamics. By recognizing and leveraging latent bargaining power and organizing efforts strategically, individuals can overcome obstacles to achieve desired societal transformations. Materialist analysis provides insights into historical and contemporary political shifts, urging listeners to engage in informed and concerted efforts for meaningful change.
Why are hierarchy and male dominance so prevalent in human societies?
According to anthropologists David Graeber & David Wengrow, it’s because people were “self-consciously experimenting with different social possibilities,” and then we somehow got stuck this way. Meanwhile according to Jordan Peterson, it’s just human nature.
Thankfully for humanity, both of these views are very, very wrong.
