re: equality
"I agree that in the vast majority of societies in history, some people have always been "more equal" than others"
Actually, no one has ever been more equal. Some folks grab more, others grab less. Some dominate, others submit.
Some have developed the ability to influence others without the use of force or intimidation. These folks are the ones who have embraced their inner "worth" and others instinctively sense that this individual has something "extra" that they themselves or others do not necessarily possess.
Yet that something extra is eventually discovered by all who so pursue their own personal growth.