The Original Affluent Society? Lessons from 60-Years of "Man the Hunter" Research ~ Richard B. Lee

Feb 10, 2026

Richard B. Lee, Canadian anthropologist who spent decades with Kalahari foragers, reflects on the 1966 Man the Hunter symposium. He recounts meeting the Ju/'hoansi, debates around the Original Affluent Society, gendered roles in foraging, shifts from foraging to farming, and how ecology shapes social inequality. Short, thoughtful stories and big-picture reflections throughout.

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ANECDOTE

First Field Encounter In The Kalahari

Richard B. Lee's first encounter with the Ju/’hoansi began at a Kalahari water hole in October 1963.
He quickly learned local conversational norms like playful 'complaint discourse' from elders such as Koma Gway.

ANECDOTE

Decades Of Fieldwork And Change

Lee revisited Ju/’hoansi communities across decades and even returned with family in 2024.
Many maintained land and bush-food fallback, still sourcing 20–40% of food despite western clothing and cell phones.

INSIGHT

Key Findings From Man The Hunter

The Man the Hunter findings emphasized that hunter-gatherer diets often provided adequate calories and that gathering dominated food supply.
Marshall Sahlins' 'original affluent society' and the central role of women in gathering were core conclusions.

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What was life like before farming? Was it nasty, brutish, and short? Or did our hunter-gatherer ancestors live lives that were relatively free, affluent, and ecologically stable?

In the lack of a time machine, many anthropologists have sought answers from studying the few hunter-gatherer communities that still exist today. In 1966, several leading names in the field were invited to present their results at a symposium at the University of Chicago. This “Man the Hunter” conference became a landmark event, but what exactly were the results? And have they stood the test of time?

To mark the 60th anniversary of the "Man the Hunter" symposium, On Humans is glad to share the first-ever long-form podcast with the legendary anthropologist and co-organiser of the symposium, Richard B. Lee. We discuss the legacy of the conference, Lee’s own experiences living with hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari, and his reflections on what we do and do not know about the ancient lifeways of hunter-gatherers. As we do so, we also discuss various controversies and mysteries, from women's roles to Native American farmers, and from archaeological black holes toThe Dawn of Everything.

Enjoy!

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LINKS

Support: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/OnHumans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get in touch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/h5wcmefuwvD6asos8⁠⁠⁠

MENTIONS

The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race (Jared Diamond) https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-worst-mistake-in-the-history-of-the-human-race-12157

The Original Affluent Society (Marshall Sahlins) https://www.uvm.edu/~jdericks/EE/Sahlins-Original_Affluent_Society.pdf

For my previous coverage on “woman the hunter” controversies, see “Is Man the Hunter Dead” and my interviews with Cara Ocobock and Katie Starkweather, all available here: ⁠https://onhumans.substack.com/p/is-man-the-hunter-dead⁠

For Richard Lee's own comments on the controversy, see his interview with Vivek Venkataraman ⁠https://osf.io/x7ar3_v1/

KEY WORDS