In those days, herders like Abel would offer their flocks, while farmers like Cain would offer the fruits of the fields to the priesthood, sparking debate and envy between them. [1] The Andites were expert herders as they poured out of Mesopotamia, contributing to the advancement of surrounding peoples. [2]
Friction between herders and agriculturists, rooted in their divergent viewpoints and reactions, persists due to their historical association with struggle and force versus patience and peace in the activities of peace. [3] The accidental domestication of animals allowed herders to control and harvest entire herds for food. [4]
The herders were the first capitalists, relying on their herds as capital and living off the natural increase, eventually leading to the early origin of serfdom by forcing male prisoners to work the land, with Africans becoming the predominant slave race. [5] Herding reduced the effort needed to secure food, allowing early man more time for social culture and activities. [6] Farmers were looked down on by both hunters and herders in the past, despite the fact that working the soil is a blessing, not a curse. [7] Herders in the pastoral era lived off the interest of their flocks, freeing them from food slavery and allowing time for culture and progress. [8]
The mother-family came to a speedy end under herder mores as power shifted to the father-family due to the control of the chief food supply by herding practices. [9] “No herds were kept in the Garden of Eden, only birds and domesticated species, as instructed by Van.”. [10] Slavery was not prevalent among herders, who killed male captives in war and only enslaved women and children, as detailed in the Mosaic code. [11]
The rise of animal husbandry in the pastoral era led to women being reduced to social slavery, as man's independence from woman grew and her status steadily declined, mirroring the treatment of animals in society. [12]