Humans have lived in societies without formal hierarchies long before the establishment of states, realms, or empires.
hjˈuːmənz hæv lˈɪvd ɪn səsˈaɪəɾiz wɪðˌaʊt fˈɔːɹməl hˈaɪɚɹɑːɹkiz lˈɔŋ bᵻfˌoːɹ ðɪ ɪstˈæblɪʃmənt ʌv stˈeɪts, ɹˈɛlmz, ɔːɹ ˈɛmpaɪɚz.