Accumulations of wealth in market centers tempts the ambitious and the adventurous to enter the rat-race and grab more than their pro-rata share of the honey.  The most obvious way to do this is to secure possession of the honey pot.

Far away, in the tribal past of a civilization, lay a period of scarcity in which the members of the community shared the scarce income or starved.  As the tribal wealth increased, the leaders, their families and retainers got more than a fair share of the available goods, services, preferment, privileges.  At a very early stage the “ants” stored away what they could spare, while the “grasshoppers” had a “good time”.  Investing their stored wealth in land or productive enterprises the “ants” added unearned income to their normal earnings from productive labor.

Because the “ants” held the wealth of the community they were able to exercise authority and determine community policy.  One result of their decisions was the creation of titles to land and stored wealth.  A second result was the institution of property-custom and later of property-law under which those who owned property enjoyed special privileges which gave them still larger shares of the community wealth and income.

Wealth ownership and the exercise of authority, concentrated in one person or family, created a basic division in the community between those whose livelihood depended on their labor and those whose income was determined by their ownership of property and their exercise of authority.  In the course of time this development divided the community into a property-owning, governing minority which was wealthy, and a property-poor majority whose livelihood depended upon the willingness of the property holding minority to use their land and productive implements in operations that turned out goods and services.

Property ownership and income were protected by law.  Labor income depended on the bargaining power of the property-less majority.  Property income yielded wealth to the property owners.  Labor income, under the pressure of competition in the labor market, yielded only subsistence.  Thus the community was divided into owners and workers.  The owners controlled and spent or invested the income.  The workers were provided with the necessaries and a few crumbs of comfort.

Private property and property law supported by state power institutionalized a basic division in every civilization.  One segment of a civilized community enjoyed wealth and power; other segments produced goods and performed services.  The owners were rich; the producers were poor.  Riches side by side with poverty are characteristic features of a civilized society.

Exploitation has been the economic backbone of every civilization from earliest times to the present day.  Each civilization has exploited and used up its natural resources.  In every civilization individuals, groups, classes and sometimes castes have exploited or used up fellow humans and fellow creatures to suit their own purposes and advance their own interests.