[goatlover]

We do need to include the vast human pre-history when makings sweeping claims about the natural state of human society. There might be something about civilizations that concentrate power which wasn't seen nearly as much among hunter-gatherer groups. If so, there might be steps that can be taken to counter it (indeed the past several centuries would strongly suggest so).

[red-iron-pine]

as someone else put it, the best loved, most successful hunter-gatherer still wore skins and slept in a cave with the rest of the tribe.

the surpluses of the agrarian farmers meant that the pharaoh lived a life vastly different from anyone in his kingdom.