ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the basic features of agricultural societies. The scattered populations of agricultural societies, combined with limited government resources, also prompted many people to seek, or be pressed to seek, the kind of protection a local landlord might offer, against marauders or even other landlords. In most agricultural societies, and for most of the population groups involved, the family served as the basis for production. All agricultural societies, while emphasizing male superiority, also tried to insist on male responsibility for providing for their families. The main features of agricultural societies could be implemented in a variety of ways. Similarly all agricultural societies devoted great attention to defining and enforcing social inequality. A key reason to emphasize the many common components of agricultural societies involves highlighting an underlying core after which the undeniably important variants can be explored without overdoing their magnitude.
