Redistribution is the collection and reallocation of goods within a society by a central authority. A chief collects tribute from villages and gives back food, tools, or protection. A state collects taxes and provides roads, schools, and defense. The flow is not a simple circle. Those who collect usually keep a share, and the system often reinforces their power.

Redistribution differs from reciprocity in scale and structure. Reciprocity happens between individuals or small groups. Redistribution requires a center: a chief, a temple, a palace, a government. It can be generous or extractive. In many chiefdoms, the chief's legitimacy depends on giving back visibly. A leader who hoards too much may face resistance or lose followers. In state societies, redistribution becomes formalized through bureaucracy and written records.

How it works

• Goods flow from producers to a central authority.
• The center stores, processes, and reallocates them.
• Leaders gain power by controlling the flow.
• Failure to redistribute can trigger unrest.

Redistribution is one of the mechanisms that made large, unequal societies possible. It concentrates resources and concentrates power along with them.