Understanding “societies of near-equals”

Abstract Egalitarian societies are defined as those of near-equals, yet some have confused the concept to be analogous with equality and used the absence of evidence of truly equal societies to reject the concept altogether. Stibbard-Hawkes and von Rueden seek to correct course, highlighting that egalitarian societies, properly defined, do exist and that by focusing on process, we can come to learn about the factors that influence variation in social organization. Their synthesis provides a nuanced image of egalitarian societies and offers direction for future research focused on examining the emergence of egalitarian relations out of the interactions between individual decisions and local environmental and social contexts. Such a program has and will continue to illuminate the diversity of ways societies organize, identify general processes, and provide insights into factors that promote opportunities for individuals to live among near-equals.