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 |
Darwinism and Social Evolution | 29 |
The Survival of the Mediocre | 81 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
adaptive anthropology aspects assembly associated authority basic basis become belief biological centralized Chapter Chinese clan clear clearly closely competition concept consider course culture dependent descent distinction early economic effective environment especially essential established evidence evolutionary example existence explain fact force forms functions give groups human ibid idea importance increase individual Indo-European institutions involved kind king kinship Konso land less maintain major means military nature necessary noted officials organization origin particular period person political population possible practice Press priests primitive principles problem produce properties reasons refer regard relations relative religious requirements result ritual rules seems selection sense significance simply social evolution social organization society specific status structure success theory thought traits unit University warfare warriors whole