The evolution of social constructs has changed greatly throughout human history to support each society's quality of life. Starting with small egalitarian bands and adapting to stratified, redistributive societies based on agriculture has changed human civilization greatly. Stratified societies began to arise and dominate to develop our current strata. Stratified agricultural societies have taken over the world and are a necessity for our rapidly growing economy. The more complex our economy becomes, the more stratified it will have to be to maintain the same success as in the past. Stratified societies have taken over the world, which is necessary for modern societies to survive, demonstrated by the most powerful ones such as the United States. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The complexity and strong structure of stratified societies have created more power and helped develop technologies to gain control over others. Diamond's answer for Yali, the native New Guinean, as to why white men carry so much burden, helped explain how stratified societies triumph in the world. For the most part, “all humans on Earth fed themselves exclusively by hunting wild animals and gathering wild plants” (Diamond, 1997, 86). Diamond argued that a village with only hunters and gatherers was successful in terms of survival, but animals would need to be hunted and plants harvested consistently. Successful hunter-gatherer societies were those that were dealt a helping hand. Hunter-gatherers who lived in more fertile places had advantages that others did not. Sahlins' article similarly explains how cultures with abundant resources could grow the economic structure and have more satisfying living environments. He says: “A rich society is one in which all the material needs of the people are easily satisfied.” (Sahlins 1974, 1). He added that the Bushmen "...had no sense of ownership." (Sahlins 1974, 12). Therefore, the Bushmen would have no “desires”, much less anything that would make them superior to others. The Bushmen believed that living was their main priority. The economic strategy of agriculture and division of labor responsibilities easily surpassed that of hunter-gatherer societies. Raising animals and growing crops was a much more reliable way to sustain a civilization. The consequences of animal husbandry were “infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza” (Diamond 1997, 92). When immune and native people “who had not previously been exposed to germs met, epidemics resulted in… over 99% of the population was killed” (Diamond 1997, 92). If planned correctly, the size and quantity of the food surplus would give civilization more opportunities to expand its economy. One of the reasons there was no urgency for the people of New Guinea to expand was simply because they had no sense of potential luxuries. which would improve their quality of life. Even if the average hunter and gatherer worked for a few hours a day, he would not satisfy any desire beyond that of survival. Once certain technologies were invented and became effective, society had demands that needed to be satisfied. To satisfy these needs, members of society had to produce luxury items. The more complex the economic structure becomes as more and more demands are madetechnologies, the more it will have to stratify. Almost all modern societies need groups that do not produce and still receive some of the surplus to remain powerful, organized and constantly growing. Students, children, infants, people with disabilities and more may not produce basic necessities for others, but they are still essential to society. Caring for others, growing a larger population, and teaching the next generation are all vital elements of having a successful and prosperous society. Diamond realizes this and agrees that those who are unable to work can still contribute in other ways or could contribute in the future. To protect the next generation, Diamond writes, “Assets in excess of an individual's needs must be transferred from the individual to the centralized authority, which then redistributes the assets to deficit individuals” (Diamond 1997, 287). Diamond argues that individuals who are able, and do not contribute, can convince productive and hard-working members of society that they are also contributing through management, organizing, etc. Managers, kings, and lords do not directly contribute to production, but indirectly help organize those who help support society as a whole. The leader's guiding actions cause farmers to support their society more effectively. Furthermore, Diamond mentions the link between “the spread of government and religion” (Diamond 1999, 266). The constructs that government and religion implement in society are in place to remain effective and powerful. Because government and religious leaders create rules and guidelines for the masses, they have a lot of power. Although leaders themselves do not directly influence society's production, they take a portion of the surplus produced as a reward for their work organizing others. Diamond argues that elites have complete control over the masses who actually do the work necessary to survive, but elites provide the constructs necessary for a functional society. The masses may think that the elites get more than they deserve, but the infrastructure created by the elites should help the masses improve their quality of life. Unfortunately, elites tend to protect themselves with safeguards within the infrastructures created when society is not functioning to its full potential or need. Furthermore, elites have too much power and available “wants” that separate privileged individuals from the masses. The most successful stratified societies are those that have sufficient infrastructure to be efficient and productive, where the elite can lead the masses, although the masses may still have access to the luxuries that the elites obtain. When the elite uses a hereditary system, a strong influence in remaining a higher class than society is vital. Democratic governments share common goals with society and better represent all contributors to that society. Leaders are expected to be elite because of their actions of supporting society or because the masses desire an individual to represent their society. Whether elites are elected or appointed, their role is to create an economic structure that supports everyone. On the other hand, Diamond explains how elites can "brazenly function as kleptocracies, transferring net wealth from ordinary people to the upper classes" (Diamond 1997, 276). For modern economies, stratification is necessary due to the complexity of the market and the imperativeness of power. Our current strata must understand certain means of distribution to sustain social surplus and seek new technologies to grow for the future. One of the.