Primitive Society

The initial social formation in human history, including the phase of primitive herd and the phase of primitive commune, which has lasted about three million years.

The emergence of the primitive society and the emergence of mankind were the same process. Man evolved from the ancient ape. Fossils of this ancient ape were found in some parts of the world, such as Africa, southern Europe and Kaiyuan, Yunnan Province, China, dating back about 10 million years. Over a long geological period, this ancient ape gradually grew able to walk upright, free up its hands and achieved specialization. As Engels said, “This was the decisive step in the transition from ape to man.” The specialization of the hand meant the appearance of tools, a basic feature that distinguishes man from other animals. Human labor began with the making of tools. When the ancient apes began to make the most primitive tools for labor, the most primitive human society was born. Since collective labor requires coordination and exchange of ideas, language came into being. Language and labor have become the two most important driving forces, which have enabled the brain to develop and become the organ of thought. Engels pointed out: “In a sense, we have to say that labor created man himself.”

The basic features of the relations of production in primitive society are public property in the means of subsistence, collective labor and equal distribution. This is because, at that time, the tools of labor were simple, people’s labor skills were low, and they were unable to fight against the forces of nature alone, and all productive activities needed to be carried out together, all of which determined the appropriation in common of the means of production. Since the level of development of the productive forces was very low and the surplus-produce was very scarce, the products could only be distributed equally.

The social organization of primitive society was at first the primitive herd. There were generally dozens of people, moving from place to place in search of water and grass, with each herd basically isolated from the others. The relationship between the two sexes was promiscuous, and later, there were no longer spouses between different generations, transitioning to consanguineous marriage. Later, marriage between brothers and sisters was also prohibited, and exogamy was practiced, which led to the formation of clans [gens]. At first, it was a matrilineal clan, the descent was reckoned in the female line, women playing a decisive role in production and holding a leading position in the clan community, and the relationship between the two sexes entering into pairing marriage. Later, it narrowed more and more until at last it includes only the single pair, the dominant form of marriage today. When primitive cattle-raising and primitive agriculture played a decisive role in the primitive commune, matrilineal clans gradually transitioned to patrilineal clans, the descent was reckoned in the male line, leadership passed to men, and the relationship between the two sexes relations gradually developed towards monogamy. Clans were the basic production units and organizational cells of the primitive society, and several clans of relatives by marriage who practice exogamy form a tribe. Tribes had relatively clear territorial boundaries and unique customs and habits, religious faiths, and dialects. Sometimes several tribes form a tribal alliance.

The development of primitive society was extremely slow. Entering the Neolithic age from the Paleolithic age, man was able to make composite tools, invent weapons bow and arrow and pottery, giving rise to primitive cattle-raising and primitive agriculture. leading to the creation of counting methods and calendars, the ability to build more structurally diverse houses and orderly burial grounds. Cultural life also developed, leading to the creation of counting methods and calendars, the ability to build more structurally diverse houses and orderly burial grounds. From the excavated pottery and bone artifacts, one can now see the rich and colorful paintings and fine grain carvings of that time.

In the last period of primitive society, metallic tools were used, making production possible on a per household basis. Collective labor began to transition into individual labor, public property in the means of production began to transform into private property, and products began to transform from public property to private property. With the development of the productive forces and the appearance of two great social divisions of labor, the social division of labor and exchange have developed, which promoted the emergence and expansion of private property. Now, people’s products of labor, in addition to maintaining their own survival, have a surplus, making it possible for man to exploit man. The development of private property and exchange has led to greater inequality in the possession of property, so that wealthy families have more means of production and means of life, and have the conditions to exploit the labor of others. They initially used prisoners of war as slaves, and later turned poor and indebted clan members into slaves. Society gradually split into an exploiting and an exploited class, and primitive society gradually disintegrated. After various transitional periods, it was eventually replaced by the slave-owning society.