AI-rewritten: This is a summary of an article from The Conversation, rewritten by AI (Qwen, running locally) to make it easier to read. The facts come from the original article – read it for the full story.

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On the shores of Lake Eyasi in Northern Tanzania, Hadza hunter-gatherers share meat from kills like kudu among everyone within miles. While this scene suggests perfect equality where families keep only half or less of the meat, researchers note that inequalities exist even in these societies. Anthropologists studying the Hadza and the Tsimane people in Bolivia found that equalities often stem from selfish motives rather than noble nature.

A review of over a century of ethnography shows no society lacks inequality. For example, while families have modest possessions, certain groups control valuable hunting territories or ritual knowledge. Gender inequalities are common; Hadza men keep specific meat cuts and receive more respect for hunting skills. Additionally, older men in Australian societies controlled marriage choices, and women universally performed more direct parenting.

The study found that processes limiting inequality often rely on self-interest rather than generosity. Food sharing occurs because families demand it vociferously, and ridicule of greedy individuals keeps status-seeking in check. These mechanisms—such as mockery, demands, and cooperation—are also found in industrialized societies today. Researchers conclude that viewing hunter-gatherers as paragons of equality is a mistake, but recognizing egalitarianism as a set of tools for securing autonomy remains accurate.