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The reason it doesn't work is that unevolved humans are uncomfortable when they don't know who's the chief of their tribe, and they don't really believe in the golden rule either. So when someone says, "I'm your chief!" they feel genuine relief. Then, when the chief says, "He's our enemy!" they willingly attack him. Other humans, afraid of this new warlord, will ask, "Where's OUR chief?" Government ensues.

Humans will be ready for civilization when they are truly shocked, horrified and amused by that latter scenario.

Unevolved humans? I thought humans evolved from the primordial slime. There's no direction to it, no goal, no purpose. If that's the case what sense does it make to be "shocked or "horrified" at whatever evolution has produced? What are you comparing the product of evolution WITH, to justify a complaint against "tyranny"?

Cordially,

Unevolved humans? I thought humans evolved from the primordial slime.

Assuming common descent, which I obviously am, your statement is true. But unfortunately humans are a bit too recently swung out of the trees, and haven't overcome their basic animal nature. We are still pack animals, which means we still let the alphas steal our bananas and females. And we also wish we were those alphas, meaning we cheerfully steal bananas and females, and kill our rivals, when we can get way with it.

If that's the case what sense does it make to be "shocked or "horrified" at whatever evolution has produced?

Humans have a special gift: we are capable of self criticism. We can question our animal instincts. We can feel regret and shame. We can aspire to something that is contrary to our nature. Indeed, that's what makes me a believer to this day. We have the potential to be more than the animals we were born. In fact, that's a Bible quote!

What are you comparing the product of evolution WITH, to justify a complaint against "tyranny"?

Ultimately, I'm comparing it with a purely abstract construct. Our self-criticism rises to the amazing level that we can even invent things like the Pareto Criterion[1], the Universality Criterion[2], or the Golden Rule[3].

Evolution being unpredictable, it's impossible to say whether we'll ever as a species reach the point that we start following the golden rule. There are reasons to be hopeful, however. Unless we do reach essentially that state, civilization will always be a series of ups and downs punctuated with periods of tyranny.

Notes:

This states that an act is just if at least one person benefits, and no person is affected negatively.
This states that any moral rule, to qualify as a moral rule, must have the property that it can be applied equally to every living human being. The Golden Rule is one example.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.