What is the original affluent society?

The hunter-gatherer society is deemed to be the original affluent society, as posited by Marshall Sahlins in his original affluent society theory. Hunter-gatherers were nomadic peoples who lived off the land. Sahlin's theory deviated from common perceptions of hunter-gatherer societies and of the concept of affluence. While hunter-gatherer societies were not financially wealthy, people's needs in such societies were easily met. An affluent society is one in which people obtain that which they desire and need. Per Sahlins, this is quite true of the hunter-gatherer society. Materialism and money did not matter.

Sahlin's theory deviated from past perceptions of hunter-gatherer societies because those in such societies were often viewed as just trying to survive. However, Sahlin deduced that such societies were adept at living off the abundant land with the appropriate know-how to do so. Whatever they needed, nature provided.