“…In particular, the new alternate pathways theoretical orientation revised the neoevolutionist assertion that the evolution of social complexity reflects principally the construction of strongly hierarchical forms of government dominated by a powerful elite class. Most importantly, alternate pathways theorists gave consideration to alternatives to vertical political hierarchies, moving research away from the idea that social change could be understood as a series of step-like transformations in the direction of more political centralization (e.g., Blanton, 1998;Crumley, 1995;Earle, 2002;Fargher et al, 2010Fargher et al, , 2011Feinman, 1995;Hayden, 1995;Liu, 2004;McIntosh, 1999;Southall, 1988;Stein, 1980Stein, , 1995Tambiah, 1977).…”