Suzman 2017a

envy

Ju/’hoansi “Bushmen

Richard Lee

“fiercely egalitarian”

demand sharing

^^What are some of the misperceptions of hunter-gatherers?^^

  • That they are always on the edge of starvation

^^How did Richard Lee’s research change our ideas about hunter-gatherers? Why are they considered to the “the original affluent society”?^^

  • he revealed that not only did they make a good living from hunting and gathering, but that they were also well-nourished and content, and they only worked 15 hours a week to do so.

^^What does Lee mean by “fiercely egalitarian”? How did their egalitarian practices help them survive in such a harsh environment?^^

  • The Ju/’hoansi had no formalized leadership institutions, no formal hierarchies; men and women enjoyed equal decision-making powers; children played largely noncompetitive games in mixed age groups; and the elderly, while treated with great affection, were not afforded any special status or privileges. Their egalitarianism that ensured that no one bothered accumulating wealth and simultaneously enabled limited resources to flow organically through communities

^^How has “envy” helped to maintain egalitarianism among hunter-gatherers like the Ju/’hoansi?^^

  • Insulting the hunters kill. Anyone who had too much was insulted. Most of the time everyone went to some lengths to avoid being singled out for selfishness or self-importance.

^^How has “demand sharing” helped to maintain egalitarianism among hunter-gatherers like the Ju/’hoansi?^^

  • Where we usually consider it rude for others to ask unashamedly for something that we own or to just expect to receive it, the Ju/’hoansi considered this normal. More so, as far as they were concerned, denying someone’s request ran the risk of being sanctioned for selfishness.

^^Why is “envy” problematic for the Ju/’hoansi, now? What has changed? How does this insight help us understand modern inequality?^^

  • They are by far the poorest and most marginalized of Namibia’s many distinct ethnic communities. But they remain deeply uncomfortable in elevating any of their peers to leadership positions, and those who assume the mantle of leadership do so often reluctantly, in the knowledge that they will be closely scrutinized and sometimes viciously criticized. They are underrepresented in state institutions and their needs are overlooked.