The government was a theocracy, ruled by the religious class. At first a few priests were probably the only government. But as the society developed the need for a government grew. The government helped administer the irrigation system to ensure the continuity of the food supply and would be involved in distribution.
The government would build roads and public projects, making it necessary to pay workers. This created the need for taxation - at first in-kind taxation - that is, citizens would contribute a share of the products or food they produced. Soon there was a need for a bureaucracy.
The leisure time created by surpluses of food and specialization also made it possible for some to specialize in music and art. The flowering of civilization had begun. |