Explore the origins of property and how it shapes societies across history.
This scholarly work traces how the right to own, share, and pass on possessions evolved from early communal living to complex modern economies, using ethnographic study to illuminate the roots of today's property systems.
This edition presents a comprehensive survey, organized chapter by chapter, showing how property flows through animals, tribes, and nations, and how it influences social structures, law, and culture. It provides a clear map of ideas for students and general readers alike, without assuming prior expertise in sociology.
- A broad, historical view of property from primitive to contemporary times.
- Key concepts explained with concrete examples from many cultures.
- Connections between property, family, law, and social organization.
- An accessible look at how ownership shapes power, economics, and community life.
Ideal for readers of sociology, anthropology, and history who want a well-grounded overview of how property develops and why it matters today.