The Principles of Social EvolutionDispelling the general assumption that social institutions survive because of their sophisticated adaptive advantages, this ground-breaking work asserts that the commonest customs and institutions may endure because of their very simplicity or as a result of simple human proclivity. Using religious, military, and kinship institutions to illustrate this argument, the author shows that a precise combination of these factors may lead to the emergence of new forms of social evolution. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Inheritance and variation | 47 |
Competition and cooperation | 56 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
adaptationist adaptive agriculture Anthropology aspects assembly associated basic basis belief biological Bodde Borana cattle centralized China Chou Claessen clan competition concept Confucian conquest core principles culture descent groups Dinka distinction divination E. E. Evans-Pritchard East Cushitic languages East Cushitic society economic elaborate elders ensete environment essential Ethiopia Evans-Pritchard evidence evolutionary example existence functions gada system Galla guilds Hallpike Hamer human ibid idea importance inclusive fitness individual Indo-European Indo-European society Indo-Iranian institutions irrigation Jimma Karimojong king kinship Kofyar Konso land large numbers leadership lineage London military nature Nuer officials particular patrilineal political authority population population density priests primitive society properties relations relationship religion religious ritual rulers sacred sacrifice seems selection settlement Shang Sidamo significance social evolution social organization social systems status structure subsistence survival Tauade theory traditional University Press war band warfare warriors