would take monopolistic control

Of arbitration

Because in the old times people would go to these best among them to settle disputes

But the 1 elitist who wanted it a barred anyone else from taking that role

i think you should incorporate changes in material conditions

such as the rise of agriculture

It doesnt inherently cause it

you'll probably have a much more realistic understanding that way

yes it does

No

There will be more elites with increased population

but you speak of progress

Its just a question of, will the elites allow that 1 elitist to monopolize their rights

implying change

not just cycles

its an evolution

the "progress" or "evolution" would mostly occur due to technological change

Sometimes it was reverted

and perhaps genetic change

though it's harder to know about that

As during the collapse of the Western Roman Empire

You had this halfway rollback

culture does not exist in a vacuum

nor, obviously, does ideology

but i wanted to be more broad

Culture lives in the genes

The state is not necessary to maintain it

but the big changes we saw were obviously due to changes in technology

it's just stupid to ignore them

Perhaps weaponry tech

as if something like christianity would develop without large empires

Even then, all the different elites would acquire better weaponry

agriculture

Christianity would develop and not get corrupted as quickly

no, it wouldn't

What you would see is it wouldnt turn into Papism

But it wouls grow slower

it wouldn't grow at all

It grew regardless

it grew in the context of a large empire

It makes growth easier