Final answer:
The complexity of a society's technology does not determine its level of social complexity. Factors such as economic, educational, and public policy institutions influence a society's performance in adopting and using technology. Charles C. Mann provides evidence for this claim in his discussion of invention vs. borrowing.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'The complexity of a society's technology has little to do with its level of social complexity' means that the advancement of a society's technology does not necessarily dictate the level of social complexity within that society. In other words, a society can have advanced technology but still exhibit low social complexity, or vice versa. This is because the performance of a society in adopting and using technology is influenced by factors such as the country's economic, educational, and public policy institutions.
In his discussion of invention vs. borrowing, Charles C. Mann provides evidence for this claim. He argues that low-income countries may have opportunities to copy and adapt technology, but if they lack the appropriate economic infrastructure and supportive institutions, the theoretical advantages of backwardness become practically irrelevant. This suggests that social complexity is not solely determined by the complexity of a society's technology, but also by the presence of conducive economic, educational, and public policy institutions.