The society we exist in today has only existed for two thousand years ; which consist of prime ministers, presidents, parliaments, congresses, cabinets, governors, mayors and many others in leadership positions. But there was a time in history, about 98 percent of our existence as a species as well as the previous four million years, when our ancestors lived in small, largely nomadic hunting and gathering groups containing each about 30 to 50 people. Leadership positions were non-existent at that time. It was an egalitarian society; instead, where everyone was equally important and knew each other. These groups practiced reciprocal exchanges where the amount given and received was not taken into account. The leader then redistributed everything collected equally and took less for himself. Quickly, this image changed for the worse when the leader turned his attention to the bosses. It is from this social context that human nature evolved into the society we live in today; create these leaders over time. With the creation of leaders, such as chiefs, came inequalities of rank, power, wealth, and ultimately the creation of global hunger. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayMarvin Harris connects the beginnings of human nature and humanity to what they have become today. According to Marvin Harris' article "Life Without Chiefs", reciprocity was not the only form of exchange practiced by these egalitarian bands but redistribution also played a crucial role in creating distinctions of rank during the the evolution of chiefdoms and states. Redistribution occurs when people hand over food and valuables to a prestigious figure such as the leader, to be pooled, divided into separate portions, and distributed again. These chief redistributors worked harder than their followers and kept smaller, less desirable portions for themselves. The leader was rewarded with admiration and received greater celebrations. This left the door open for others in the village to wish to become chief by offering them a larger feast, the most sumptuous food, and other valuable items to measure their legitimacy as a chief. These leaders became “great men”. The bigger the party became, the more annoying the great man's demands became, but people remained loyal as long as the great man remained the "great provider." The rise in social status accelerated whenever additional food was produced and stored for redistribution. The more concentrated and abundant the harvest, the more potential there was to endow the great man with power. When food was scarce, people would come to the great man for food in exchange for special requests. These demands would be the making of clothes, pots, canoes or even a fine for one's own use. Eventually, these redistributors no longer needed to work in the fields; allowing them to go beyond the status of great man. The management of surplus harvests, entrusted to the great man for use in municipal festivals and other municipal projects, was enough to validate their status. People began to view status as a function and rules of hereditary succession came into place. It was no longer the big man who provided for the small villages but rather a large..