Lausanne - The ancient Egyptian rulers live in luxury, decorate themselves with gold and precious stones, using scented perfume, and even equip themselves with a treasure in the grave.
Whereas before, the Egyptian egalitarian society. How can hierarchical and despotic system emerged from the hunting community and gatherers Recent studies have mentioned, there are two things that lie behind them. Technology and geography - the rise of agriculture and the factors that surrounded desert location.
"Basically there is no other place to go," said study author Simon Powers, a postdoctoral researcher in ecology and evolution from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland as "Lock individuals in depotisme."
Despotism is a form of government with a single ruler, either individually or oligarchy, ruling with absolute political power.
Ancient Egypt is just one example of the transition of society into a hierarchical equivalent. During the Neolithic or Stone Age Period - which began about 10 thousand years ago - agriculture began to replace hunting and gathering as a way to get food. At the same time, a relatively equal society began to break up in the social classes. Emerged the clear leader. In many cases, the ruler has absolute power.
A number of other researchers offered the theory that agriculture allows one to hoard food and resources, with the ability they began to gather a following. However, no one can give convincing explanation of how the transition from nothing to having a leader.
If every person in hunter-gatherer societies more or less have the strength or the same resources, why they make room for an individual to dominate
To find out, Powers created a computer model in which there are symbols of individuals who have preferansi for egalitarianism or hierarchy. In the model, just as in real life, it is known that the more resources a person has, the more offspring they can have.
In the simulation, the population sometimes has a voluntary leader - who then it will lose its power in the offspring.
From leader to despot
However, the leadership turned into despotism when two factors emerged. First, is the growth of the population - density and number - which will naturally form on the agricultural community organized.
"Basically, it becomes difficult for the individual to stop following the command of a leader," said Powers. "As more and more dense population, the less the amount of land available for free."
That then leads to the second factor: feedback. With the advantage of being the leader, the subjects get more resources and have more children.
If the consequences of leaving a low leaders - such as being able to join in more friendly territory nearby, or the ease of switching, no despotism can appear. Enough people go when a leader becomes too absolute.
But if the stakes are high - either because of geographical barriers, such as the Egyptian desert, or practical, such as the need for access to irrigation - people have to deal with a high risk of power abuse their leader.
"In a group of hunter-gatherers, if someone tries to behave wrongfully, then the rest of the group simply wake up in the middle of the night and walked away, but not with the agricultural community," said Powers.
Such findings may explain the differences in the hierarchy of the entire world in the Stone Age. For example, Peru - which became the site of a number of initial states, provides a fertile agricultural valley. To leave these valleys, one must cross the mountains - a dangerous and difficult business, "said Powers.
In contrast, in the Amazon basin more egalitarian even after the advent of agriculture, perhaps because it is easier to move and find suitable land.
Rules of the Stone Age it was still there to this day. In a democratic society, said Powers, easier to depose a leader, the ruler can seldom be wrong. In contrast, in the communities of non-democratic, authoritarian rulers can apply without having to worry about losing his grip on power.
Powers and his advisers, Laurent Lehmann study findings reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B edition August 5, 2014.
The next step will be upgrading permodelannya Powel. "I want to know what money encourages the creation of a great country of despotic groups," he said.
Whereas before, the Egyptian egalitarian society. How can hierarchical and despotic system emerged from the hunting community and gatherers Recent studies have mentioned, there are two things that lie behind them. Technology and geography - the rise of agriculture and the factors that surrounded desert location.
"Basically there is no other place to go," said study author Simon Powers, a postdoctoral researcher in ecology and evolution from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland as "Lock individuals in depotisme."
Despotism is a form of government with a single ruler, either individually or oligarchy, ruling with absolute political power.
Ancient Egypt is just one example of the transition of society into a hierarchical equivalent. During the Neolithic or Stone Age Period - which began about 10 thousand years ago - agriculture began to replace hunting and gathering as a way to get food. At the same time, a relatively equal society began to break up in the social classes. Emerged the clear leader. In many cases, the ruler has absolute power.
A number of other researchers offered the theory that agriculture allows one to hoard food and resources, with the ability they began to gather a following. However, no one can give convincing explanation of how the transition from nothing to having a leader.
If every person in hunter-gatherer societies more or less have the strength or the same resources, why they make room for an individual to dominate
To find out, Powers created a computer model in which there are symbols of individuals who have preferansi for egalitarianism or hierarchy. In the model, just as in real life, it is known that the more resources a person has, the more offspring they can have.
In the simulation, the population sometimes has a voluntary leader - who then it will lose its power in the offspring.
From leader to despot
However, the leadership turned into despotism when two factors emerged. First, is the growth of the population - density and number - which will naturally form on the agricultural community organized.
"Basically, it becomes difficult for the individual to stop following the command of a leader," said Powers. "As more and more dense population, the less the amount of land available for free."
That then leads to the second factor: feedback. With the advantage of being the leader, the subjects get more resources and have more children.
If the consequences of leaving a low leaders - such as being able to join in more friendly territory nearby, or the ease of switching, no despotism can appear. Enough people go when a leader becomes too absolute.
But if the stakes are high - either because of geographical barriers, such as the Egyptian desert, or practical, such as the need for access to irrigation - people have to deal with a high risk of power abuse their leader.
"In a group of hunter-gatherers, if someone tries to behave wrongfully, then the rest of the group simply wake up in the middle of the night and walked away, but not with the agricultural community," said Powers.
Such findings may explain the differences in the hierarchy of the entire world in the Stone Age. For example, Peru - which became the site of a number of initial states, provides a fertile agricultural valley. To leave these valleys, one must cross the mountains - a dangerous and difficult business, "said Powers.
In contrast, in the Amazon basin more egalitarian even after the advent of agriculture, perhaps because it is easier to move and find suitable land.
Rules of the Stone Age it was still there to this day. In a democratic society, said Powers, easier to depose a leader, the ruler can seldom be wrong. In contrast, in the communities of non-democratic, authoritarian rulers can apply without having to worry about losing his grip on power.
Powers and his advisers, Laurent Lehmann study findings reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B edition August 5, 2014.
The next step will be upgrading permodelannya Powel. "I want to know what money encourages the creation of a great country of despotic groups," he said.
