Final answer:
In ancient city-states, social complexity did not always emerge on the basis of social inequality. Some societies practiced communal decision-making and distributed social power more evenly. Wealth accumulation from trade could also lead to social advancement.
Step-by-step explanation:
In ancient city-states, social complexity did not always emerge on the basis of social inequality. While social hierarchy and wealth accumulation were characteristic of early civilizations, not all ancient city-states were organized in this way.
For example, the San people of South Africa practiced a form of communal decision-making and relied on the customs and rituals of their society to maintain order. In smaller communities, social power was more evenly distributed among group members. Additionally, some ancient city-states, such as the Etruscans, had organized systems of governance and allowed families to move up in the social construct of the city based on wealth accumulation from trade.
Therefore, the statement is True. Social complexity in ancient city-states did not always emerge on the basis of social inequality.