Sahlins argues that chiefly redistribution is not different in principle and nothing but a highly organized form of kinship-rank reciprocity. Others, such as French Marxist anthropologist Claude Meillassoux, used the development of ranked kin redistribution from generalized reciprocity as the basis for a lineage mode of production found in western African chiefdoms and kingdoms.
Sahlins argues that chiefly redistribution is not fundamentally distinct; rather, it's an exceptionally organized form of reciprocal exchange based on kinship rankings. This perspective was further developed by Claude Meillassoux, who used the evolution of ranked kin redistribution to establish a lineage-based system of production in western African chiefdoms and kingdoms.