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Christopher Boehm

Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior Hardcover – December 1, 1999

by Christopher Boehm (Author)

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Are humans by nature hierarchical or egalitarian? Hierarchy in the Forest addresses this question by examining the evolutionary origins of social and political behavior. Christopher Boehm, an anthropologist whose fieldwork has focused on the political arrangements of human and nonhuman primate groups, postulates that egalitarianism is in effect a hierarchy in which the weak combine forces to dominate the strong.

The political flexibility of our species is formidable: we can be quite egalitarian, we can be quite despotic. Hierarchy in the Forest traces the roots of these contradictory traits in chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, and early human societies. Boehm looks at the loose group structures of hunter-gatherers, then at tribal segmentation, and finally at present-day governments to see how these conflicting tendencies are reflected.

Hierarchy in the Forest claims new territory for biological anthropology and evolutionary biology by extending the domain of these sciences into a crucial aspect of human political and social behavior. This book will be a key document in the study of the evolutionary basis of genuine altruism.

Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Harvard University Press
Publication date

December 1, 1999
Dimensions

6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
ISBN-10

0674390318
ISBN-13

978-0674390317
Lexile measure

1380L
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Boehm, professor of anthropology and director of the Jane Goodall Research Center at the University of Southern California, ranges broadly in his quest to determine the evolutionary origins of social and political behavior. Combining an exhaustive ethnographic survey of human societies from groups of hunter-gatherers to contemporary residents of the Balkans with a detailed analysis of the behavioral attributes of nonhuman primates (chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos), Boehm focuses on whether humans are hierarchical or egalitarian by nature. His thesis "is that egalitarianism does not result from the mere absence of hierarchy, as is commonly assumed. Rather egalitarianism involves a very special type of hierarchy, a curious type that is based on antihierarchical feelings." This "reverse dominance hierarchy," as Boehm calls it, depends on the rank and file banding together "to deliberately dominate their potential master if they wish to remain equal." Boehm extends his analysis to argue that the processes of group selection originally advanced by David Sloan Wilson can account for the evolution of altruistic behavior in humans. While Boehm's hypotheses are not always persuasive, they are invariably intriguing and well documented. His presentation can be difficult for the nonspecialist, but he raises topics of wide interest and his book should gain attention. (Dec.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

This well-written book, geared toward an audience with background in the behavioral and evolutionary sciences but accessible to a broad readership, raises two general questions: 'What is an egalitarian society?' and 'How have these societies evolved?'...[Christopher Boehm] takes the reader on a journey from the Arctic to the Americas, from Australia to Africa, in search of hunter-gatherer and tribal societies that emanate the egalitarian ethos--one that promotes generosity, altruism and sharing but forbids upstartism, aggression and egoism. Throughout this journey, Boehm tantalizes the reader with vivid anthropological accounts of ridicule, criticism, ostracism and even execution--prevalent tactics used by subordinates in egalitarian societies to level the social playing field...Hierarchy in the Forest is an interesting and thought-provoking book that is surely an important contribution to perspectives on human sociality and politics. (Ryan Earley American Scientist)

Combing an exhaustive ethnographic survey of human societies from groups of hunter-gatherers to contemporary residents of the Balkans with a detailed analysis of the behavioral attributes of non-human primates (chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos), Boehm focuses on whether humans are hierarchical or egalitarian by nature...[Boehm's hypotheses] are invariably intriguing and well documented...He raises topics of wide interest and his book should get attention. (Publishers Weekly)

From a theoretical perspective, some of the most convincing arguments presented by Boehm center around the pivotal role of language in the evolution of egalitarianism…More provocative, however, are Boehm's ideas on how between-group selection has operated to generate egalitarianism. (Harold Gouzoules The Quarterly Review of Biology)

Hierarchy in the Forest claims new territory for biological anthropology and evolutionary biology by extending the domain of these sciences into a crucial aspect of human political and social behavior. This book will be a key document in the study of the evolutionary basis of genuine altruism. (Primate Science)

Publisher : Harvard University Press; First Edition (December 1, 1999)
Language : English
Hardcover : 304 pages
ISBN-10 : 0674390318
ISBN-13 : 978-0674390317
Lexile measure : 1380L
Item Weight : 1.15 pounds
Dimensions : 6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,664,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,582 in Physical Anthropology (Books)
- #10,009 in General Anthropology
- #17,743 in Evolution (Books)

Customer Reviews:
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Top reviews from the United States

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Fred Nietzsche

One of the Best Books on the Emerging Science of Morality

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2019

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I originally got this book from the library but I kept checking it out because I wanted to refer to it, cite it in papers, etc. so I decided to buy it. I love the Kindle format for academic books, it's so great to be able to highlight, add/find/edit/delete comments, etc. I even have a highlighting system I've worked out so I can find specific kinds of highlights. But back to the book this is one of those rare academic books that I just keep going back to again and again. If you are interested in the topic of how evolution played a role in the definition of our human moral sense this book is a must have as well as the author's other book Moral Origins. Well written, deep, and also very scientific in that unlike other authors on the topic Boehm is very circumspect in differentiating things that are well supported from possible hypotheses from interesting speculation.

3 people found this helpful

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Kevin Corn

Then he points out how unique that ethic is among the other species of great apes that are our closest cousins

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2015

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This book is not new, but for anyone interested in human nature, it is still entirely relevant. Boehm points to some very incongruous phenomena. First, most evidence suggests that the earliest groups of humans seem to have been governed by a very strict egalitarian ethic, much as surviving communities of nomadic hunters and gatherers still are. Then he points out how unique that ethic is among the other species of great apes that are our closest cousins. Most notably, the chimps and gorillas live in despotic bands led by despotic alpha males, all of whom are eventually overthrown by younger stronger depots. Finally he notes that as human societies developed settled agriculture and then civilization, despotism and hierarchy reemerge. How can we explain these things? Boehm's answer is that anatomically modern humans emerged in a widespread upheaval in which cooperative groups of non-dominant humans--sometimes including females--made a compact with each other to join against any potential alpha despot. Boehm calls this an "inverted hierarchy" by which he means that humans retained their competitive urges and their will to dominate others. Nevertheless, their will to be free from the domination of alphas was an even stronger urge. Further, their ability to cooperate within the constraints of an egalitarian ethic gave them an evolutionary advantage over other foraging nomads. Then, as new economies and more sedentary lifestyles began to emerge, they lost that competitive advantage and the old despotism reemerged. Anyone interested in the struggle between egalitarian and hierarchical styles of social organization--as well as the concept of human nature should not miss reading this very important book.

6 people found this helpful

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Rio Olesky

Interesting Read

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2014

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Extremely well researched and referenced. Somewhat repetitive however. He could have made his points more directly and succinctly but I guess that's how one writes a scholarly tome.

One person found this helpful

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Kari Saarvola, s.c.

Egalitarian behaviour

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2011

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A finnish geneticist wrote a book about the relationship between humans and dog: the wonderfull relationship, as far I know has its basic rules in the forest were we learned how to handle another individuals and also other animals near by us. Understanding the basics is very important; this book is most valuble.

3 people found this helpful

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John Littleton

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2014

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This text offers one of the clearest understandings of hunter-gatherer lifeway I have ever read.

One person found this helpful

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Jim B.

How evolution shapes our thinking & politics

Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2014

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I am very interested in how evolution has shaped our minds, culture and politics. Boehm is an expert in this field with unique and insightful theories. If your interested in this subject this book is an excellent choice.

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Schofield

New Milenium Essential Reading

Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2013

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If you want to understand your human nature better and how you should lead your life you'll be amazed at the new perspective this book generates for you.

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John Gibbs

buyer beware

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2011

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This book is not without significant merit in its discusion of egalitarian politics. Unfortunately, Boehm goes way out on a limb in his central argument.

Boehm is an intelligent and thoughtful observer of political and social realities, but he is a cultural anthropologist, not a political scientist, not a game theorist, not a primatologist, not even a biological anthropologist. The main argument he is making is a slippery departure from his own field.

Boehm would do well to stick to what he knows. He is an excellent ethnographer. His published writings on the Serbian tribes of Montenegro represent a significant and solid contribution to cultural anthropology scholarship.

In "Hierarchy of the Forest," Boehm's argument relies on disciplines about which he lacks sufficient expertise to come down as strongly as he does. His argument may be attractive to those of us who have an interest in building egalitarianism in political, social, and cultural practices, but it is best to avoid the trap that Boehm has fallen into, being seduced by an attractive hypothesis and sacrificing rigor.

14 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Mal

Human nature and egalitarianism brilliantly explained.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2019

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An elegant scientific explanation of how through cultural evolution, human egalitarianism had managed to suppress and largely supplant the alpha male dominated social hierarchies of our ancestors and nearest genetic relatives, the gorillas, chimps and bonobos.
Also highly recommend Boehm’s more recent work ‘Moral Origins’ which develops his argument. For tens of thousands of years our culturally modern ancestors maintained highly egalitarian societies where cheating, bullying and stealing by upstarts we’re actively monitored and suppressed. He shows how our human nature originated, particularly why we don’t like to be bossed around and dominated.
It’s surely about time that we replace the modern hierarchical structures within our modern institutions with new forms of egalitarian models such as holocracy. See Brian Robertson’s work on this. We need to rid ourselves of the means by which the modern strutting pompous arrogant but shallow and ignorant ‘alphas’ manage to achieve power and influence. Think Trump, Erdogan, Putin, Orban, Boris Johnson ... Saddam, and further back, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Mao.

3 people found this helpful

Alexios Xifaras

Landmark work ! One of the classics in the field of biological anthropology and behavioral science.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2019

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Christopher Boehm, after extensive review of virtually all available ethnological data of small-scale societies, has written a magisterial book that covers a broad variety of topics. However the central thesis of this book is that human, contrary to chimps and other primates, have developed a stable social structure that is called “reverse dominance hierarchy”, in which the group's members find a way to discipline an aspiring oppressor. Highly recommend it !

One person found this helpful

Thomas Elo Christensen

Natural politics

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2017

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Thorough, balanced discussion of our natural political behaviour with clear extrapolation to modern societies.

Arthur Effting

Amazing

Reviewed in Germany on April 20, 2017

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This book was full of surprises, like the intense egalitarianism promoted by hunter-gatherer societies and the beautifully constructed social sanction tactics to do so that we can still observe in our daily lives. This book is fundamental to understand the evolution of moral communities and human past and present hierarchies.

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