The evolution of authority structures - II

I’m sure there are entire books on this topic, which means I can only hit a few highlights.

What doesn’t change…structures that seem to be pervasive and constant…part of what Christians call general revelation:

• A general recognition that there is a metaphysical reality with entities that have some sort of power/authority that is greater than a human power. Belief systems vary (animism, pantheism, monotheism, etc.), but all share a belief in the need to recognize the power/authority of gods/spirits that is seen in its effects on the physical universe. Along with this, we usually see various means defined for manipulating the metaphysical to bring about desired changes in the physical. This anthropological feature is one reason why Kant & Hume’s skepticism is so radical…and why, at a practical level, it remains more in the metaphysical world of theory than the physical world of action.
• Family - this varies, with extended family authority structures blurring into tribal authority structures, but male authority in the family is the general rule. I should probably note that some feminist anthropologists have proposed a history where female authority was the dominant model up until tens of thousands of years ago, but their speculations about a distant utopian past remain on the fringe.
• Religion - cultures vary much more in this area. What remains constant are religious authority structures…often tied to a perceived ability to manipulate the metaphysical to produce physical effects. As with Family, feminist writers have proposed a distant utopian past when the metaphysical was dominated by a nurturing, eco-friendly, and peace-loving feminine (e.g., the Goddess).
• Government - again, cultures vary, but governmental authority structures are universal. The degree of formality varies, but all societies define standards and create governmental entities with the power to enforce those standards and defend the community from internal and external threats.