At a Glance
- A study led by Gary Feinman challenges the belief that inequality rises uniformly in larger societies. It shows that inequality varies depending on factors like population size, political organization, and leadership decisions.
- Researchers analyzed data from over 1,000 archaeological sites using the Gini coefficient, finding that while some societies had high inequality, others did not, even with large populations and complex governance systems.
- The study emphasizes that human decisions, including governance structures and cooperation levels, play a significant role in reducing or increasing societal inequality, challenging the idea of inevitable inequality growth.
- Feinman’s research suggests that inequality is not an automatic result of technological or demographic changes but is influenced by various factors, including political choices and social organization.
- The findings prompt a reevaluation of the relationship between societal size, governance, and inequality, encouraging a more nuanced understanding of how economic inequality develops historically and in contemporary societies.
A recent study challenges the long-held belief that inequality inevitably rises in larger societies as they grow and develop more complex systems of governance. Researchers, led by Gary Feinman from the Field Museum, analyzed data from over 1,000 archaeological sites across six continents, comparing the sizes of houses in different regions over the past 10,000 years. Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that inequality is widespread but does not follow a uniform, linear path. Instead, the degree of inequality in different societies varied based on population size, political organization, and decisions made by those in power.
Feinman and his team used a measurement called the Gini coefficient, which is commonly used to quantify inequality. A score of 0 represents complete equality, while 1 indicates maximal inequality. By examining the distribution of house sizes at different sites, the researchers calculated a Gini coefficient for each location. They found that while some societies exhibited high levels of inequality, others did not, even when they had large populations and complex governance systems. This variability challenges the traditional view that larger societies and technological advances always lead to increased inequality.
The researchers point out that human decisions, such as governance structures and levels of cooperation, have played a significant role in either amplifying or reducing inequality. For example, some societies actively worked to reduce inequality through various mechanisms. In contrast, other societies saw inequality grow due to factors like resource allocation and power distribution. This complexity calls for a more nuanced understanding of how and why economic inequality has developed in different societies throughout history.
Feinman’s study provides important insights into the historical roots of inequality and suggests that it is not an inevitable consequence of technological or demographic changes. Instead, the rise of inequality is influenced by various factors, including political choices and social structures. The study’s findings encourage reevaluating how we view the relationship between societal size, governance, and inequality, both in the past and present.
References
- Field Museum. (2025, April 14). Archaeologists measure and compare size of 50,000 ancient houses to learn about history of inequality. Phys.Org; Field Museum. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-archaeologists-size-ancient-houses-history.html
- Feinman, G. M., Cervantes Quequezana, G., Green, A., Lawrence, D., Munson, J., Ortman, S., Petrie, C., Thompson, A., & Nicholas, L. M. (2025). Assessing grand narratives of economic inequality across time. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(16), e2400698121. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2400698121
