Economic inequality is fueled by population scale, land-limited production, and settlement hierarchies across the archaeological record
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
122(16)
Published: April 14, 2025
Defining
wealth
broadly
to
include
in
people,
relational
connections,
and
material
possessions,
we
examine
the
prehistory
of
inequality
at
level
residential
units
using
consistent
proxy
Gini
coefficients
calculated
across
areas
contemporaneous
units.
In
a
sample
>1,100
sites
>
47,000
spanning
>10,000
y,
persistent
typically
lags
onset
plant
cultivation
by
more
than
millennium.
It
accompanies
landscape
modifications
subsistence
practices
which
land
(rather
labor)
limits
production,
growth
hierarchies
settlement
size.
are
markedly
higher
through
time
settlements
or
near
top
such
hierarchies;
not
enmeshed
these
systems
remain
relatively
egalitarian
even
long
after
animal
domestication.
We
infer
that
some
households
top-ranked
were
able
exploit
network
effects,
agglomeration
opportunities,
(eventually)
political
leverage
provided
effectively
others,
likely
boosted
efficient
intergenerational
transmission
resources
increased
sedentism
made
common.
Since
population
is
associated
with
sedentism,
land-limited
appearance
hierarchies,
it
deeply
implicated
postdomestication
rise
inequality.
Governance
mediate
degree
inequality,
as
do
technical
innovations
use
animals
for
portage,
horseback
riding,
development
iron
smelting.
Language: Английский
Changes in agglomeration and productivity are poor predictors of inequality across the archaeological record
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
122(16)
Published: April 14, 2025
We
address
three
basic
issues
regarding
the
long-term
dynamics
of
inequality
in
society.
First,
we
consider
interpretation
residence
sizes
socioeconomic
terms
by
comparing
statistical
patterns
extracted
from
Global
Dynamics
Inequality
(GINI)
Project
database
with
those
21st-century
United
States.
Second,
examine
degree
to
which
size
and
productivity
human
networks
is
systematically
related
inequality.
Finally,
investigate
relationships
between
growth
distributions
for
development
across
preindustrial
societies.
find
that
societies
provide
a
reasonable
proxy
distribution
(income,
flow
physical
social
resources
group)
minimum
estimator
wealth
(a
stock
such
accumulated
over
time);
scale
affect
levels
but
account
only
small
fraction
observed
variance
societies;
independent
growth,
on
average
time.
These
findings
have
important
implications
efforts
promote
more
equitable
economic
present.
Language: Английский
War both reduced and increased inequality over the past ten thousand years
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
122(16)
Published: April 14, 2025
Scholars
are
divided
over
the
long-term
effects
that
war
has
had
on
inequality.
Some
have
argued
conflict
grows
gap
between
rich
and
poor.
Others
counter
violence
levels
out
wealth
differences.
The
GINI
Project
Database
is
a
large
global
sample
of
archaeological
data
house
sizes
created
to
investigate
what
factors
influenced
economic
inequality
long
periods
time,
including
warfare.
Over
39,000
individual
residential
units
were
coded
as
having
fortifications
present
or
absent,
with
about
third
in
fortified
settlements
(n
=
13,372)
two-thirds
unfortified
25,897).
We
compared
disparity
(differences
unit
within
settlement)
at
sites
around
world
770)
dating
far
back
10,000
y
ago.
found
strong
support
for
expectation
was
linked
increasing
(i.e.,
inequality),
specifically
when
governance
less
collective
main
factor
limiting
agricultural
production
available
land.
However,
we
also
periods,
especially
earliest
eras
represented
database,
than
equal
settlements.
These
early
societies
tended
be
more
labor
production.
speculate
these
communities,
relative
value
coalition
building
higher,
whereas
cases
where
associated
rising
disparity,
elites
way
leverage
their
protect
property.
contradictory
models
help
explain
why
co-occurs
some
decreasing
others.
Language: Английский
100 generations of wealth equality after the Neolithic transitions
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
122(16)
Published: April 14, 2025
From
Rousseau
onward,
scholars
have
identified
the
transition
to
sedentary
agriculture
as
crucial
history
of
wealth
inequality.
Here,
using
GINI
project’s
global
database
on
disparities
in
residential
size,
we
examine
effects
important
innovations
plant
cultivation,
animal
husbandry,
and
traction
Over
a
series
regional
case
studies,
find
no
evidence
major
changes
disparity
before
or
after
these
technological
became
widespread,
where
systemic
change
are
recognizable,
they
ambiguous.
The
introduction
horticulture/farming
is
accompanied
by
slight
general
increase
inequality,
while
subsequent
tend
leveling
effect.
Although
increasing
productivity
surplus
critical
generating
nothing
our
data
suggests
that
rising
alone
led
greater
Language: Английский