Interdependence among egalitarian societies

Egalitarian societies are rarely entirely self-sufficient for subsistence. The conditions fostering interdependence, however, have yet to be studied systematically. Utilizing ecological models, this research analyses the process by which interdependence involving food resource sharing and exchange develops among egalitarian societies. Two distinct types of interdependence are defined: buffering, which alleviates periodic food shortages, and mutualism, in which complementary foods (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) are exchanged on a regular basis. The utility of these models is then evaluated using ethnographic data. The article concludes with a discussion of the evolutionary trajectories of interdependent egalitarian systems.