Surplus-producing societies organize into age, gender, and arbitrary-set hierarchies.

Evidence

Social dominance theory begins with the observation that surplus-producing human social systems are structured as trimorphic, group-based social hierarchies. The three forms of group-based systems are: (a) an age system, (b) a gender system (i.e., patriarchy), and (c) an arbitrary-set system. The arbitrary-set system consists of socially constructed group distinctions that happen to be relevant within specific situational and historical contexts. Not only does this trimorphic structure appear to characterize human social systems that produce economic surplus, there are also rudimentary signs of this trimorphic structure within other groups of primates as well. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3263

Categorization

• DEFINE: Names and defines the trimorphic group-based hierarchy framework — the arbitrary-set system is the load-bearing novel concept.
• XREF: The arbitrary-set system concept could connect to intersectionality work and to the social identity readings. — connects to: Gender inequality is the most pervasive and oldest form of group-based inequality. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 554