One large factor the author misses is the staggeringly high rates of murder and violent death in non-state societies, in some instances reaching as high as 60%[1]

This is the core of Hobbes' description of pre-state societies as "nasty, brutish, and short". Prehistoric life was incredibly tough and brutal as there simply wasn't much room for error.

If someone is able to steal from you or mistreat you without repercussion you immediately become a target for every other bad actor in the tribe. In this environment reciprocal violence is rational. A neutral state actor with a monopoly on violence tips the incentives towards non-violent resolution of disputes.

In modern times if you are unemployed for a month you can collect a check from the government and move on with your life. In prehistoric times if you go a month without successfully hunting or collecting food you get to watch your children starve to death. Again, very very little room for error.

Neolithic life had it's own set of challenges namely famine, disease, and inter-state warfare. But over the long term it provided more cushion for common mistakes and the foibles of human nature. It enlarged the margin of error for survival compared to prehistoric peoples.

[1] https://ourworldindata.org/ethnographic-and-archaeological-e...