Hunting and Gathering Societies

SOCIETIES

HUNTING AND GATHERING SOCIETIES are the simplest types of societies in which people rely on readily available vegetation and hunted game for subsistence. Only a few people can be supported in any given area in such subsistence societies. Hence they usually have no more than 40 members or so, must be nomadic, and have little or no division of labor. All societies began as hunting and gathering societies. These societies were still common until a few hundred years ago. Today only a few remain, including pygmies in central Africa and aborigines in Australia. Most of the rest have had their territory overrun by other forms of society. Hunter-gatherer societies also tend to have non-hierarchical social structures. There is rarely surplus food, and since they are nomadic little ability to store any surplus. Thus full-time leaders, bureaucrats, or artisans are rarely supported by hunter-gathering societies. Hunting and gathering society consumes a great deal of time, energy, and thought, collecting and hunting for food. Most of these societies today generally live in marginal areas where resources are scarce, so life for the hunter and gatherer seems more oriented toward mere survival. Life expectancy is also very low compared to the post industrial society. Technology is minimal in the hunting and gathering society, which again relates back to the need for expending time and energy finding food. Technology in medicine is also primitive for hunters and gatherers. Equality is great and social stratification is low, opposed to the post-industrial society.

PASTORAL SOCIETIES are societies in which animals are domesticated and raised for food in pastures. Care of animals in the pastoral society still consumes a large portion of time for most of its members. Pastoral societies are also at risk of animal diseases or droughts. These societies do not have the technologies that post-industrial societies have to guard against food shortage. Pastoral society does not afford as much time for leisure as does the post-industrial society. This society does not have the technologies that post-industrial societies have to guard against food shortage. The pastorals are nomadic, and sometimes endure harsh and even dangerous environments in their journeys. Medical technology is also low, so physical pain and death are more common than in post-industrial society. Pastoral societies tended to develop in arid regions where there was insufficient rainfall to raise crops on the land. Pastoral societies were usually nomadic, moving on to a new area after the animals had exhausted the food supply in each pasture.

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES are societies in which people plant crops in small gardens for subsistence rather than depending on available foods. This planting occurs without the use of plows or more advanced technology. Horticultural societies are pre-industrial societies. The horticultural society does not afford as much time for leisure as does the post-industrial society. The horticulturist is at the mercy of the elements since a bad season or natural phenomena such as a flood can deplete food resources and drastically effect the survival of its members. This society does not have the technologies that post-industrial societies have to guard against food shortage. Horticultural societies must be located in areas with conditions suitable for growing crops reliably. Areas that are too cold or lack sufficient rainfall could not support such societies. Horticultural societies made it possible to establish permanent settlements.

AGRARIAN SOCIETIES are based on large-scale agricultural production made possible by plows pulled by animals. Agrarian societies, because they are based on large-scale agriculture, are far more efficient than earlier societies and typically have a huge food surplus. This supports a complex division of labor. This also permits the accumulation of great wealth by the few and considerable inequality. An Agrarian society is one that is based on agriculture as its prime means for support and sustenance. The society acknowledges other means of livelihood and work habits but stresses on agriculture and farming. This has/can be implemented only in countries that have good farming lands. The agrarian society, compared to the post-industrial society, displays more inequality. There exists a large economic gap between the wealthy or elite and the poor or slaves and peasants. As an elite man in this society, life would be easy. One would have much leisure time to follow other interests like schooling and art. As a peasant or slave, however, time and energy would be consumed working for the elite. Power is highly stratified between rich and poor, men and women. It does not display the more general democratic political characteristics of the post-industrial society. The ability to choose is dependent on economic class, and is generally determined