Societies with class structure expand faster than egalitarian ones, Stanford researchers say

Societies with class structure expand faster than egalitarian ones, Stanford researchers say: In environments where the availability of resources fluctuated from year to year, stratified societies were better able to survive the temporary shortages because the bulk of the deprivation was absorbed by the lower classes, leaving the ruling class – and the overall social structure – intact. That stability enabled them to expand more readily than egalitarian societies, which weren't able to adapt to changing conditions as quickly.