This essay explores how humanity has shaped unequal societies throughout history.

This essay explores how humanity has shaped unequal societies throughout history. The main theme is the impact of the Agricultural Revolution on human society; drawing on the works of Yuval Noah Harari, the author explains how the advent of agriculture led to the expansion of inequality. First, prior to the Agricultural Revolution, humans lived as hunter-gatherers. It is believed that this way of life maintained a relatively egalitarian society. However, with the introduction of agriculture, people became dependent on cultivating specific crops (e.g., wheat), which led to the emergence of sedentary lifestyles. This gave rise to social hierarchies and served as a catalyst for the expansion of inequality. Sedentary life based on agriculture expanded the size of communities and led to population growth. Consequently, the introduction of a tax system became inevitable, and mechanisms for collecting taxes were established. The introduction of taxation further promoted the division of labor, leading to the emergence of people with specific roles (e.g., officials, record-keepers), which accelerated the solidification of social hierarchies. As a result, society as a whole became more complex, and the management of records and numerical data grew increasingly important. The author predicts, as discussed in Harari’s *Homo Deus*, that algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) will further exacerbate inequality. He warns that just as the Agricultural Revolution led to humanity becoming dominated by plants, AI has the potential to dominate humanity in the modern era. AI risks replacing human intelligence and labor, thereby diminishing the role of humans. Furthermore, the author discusses the power of narratives throughout history. Narratives have shaped the belief systems shared by people and played a crucial role in supporting social order and values. These narratives have guided people’s actions and thoughts through symbols such as caste systems, religions, and national flags. He also points out that stories blur the line between reality and fiction and can become a means of controlling people. The author argues that many of the problems facing modern society have arisen from these historical transformations. Since the Agricultural Revolution, while humanity has sought to utilize plants and animals, it has conversely ended up being dominated by them; furthermore, social inequality has been entrenched through tax systems and the formation of narratives. In conclusion, the author proposes that in order to change the current situation where the systems and narratives created by humanity are causing suffering, we must rewrite new narratives and update them to address contemporary challenges. The author suggests that by understanding the power of narratives and utilizing them appropriately, we can build a more equal and happier society.