Equality in tribes is managed by everyone constantly competing to keep everyone at the same level. Human jealous exists so strongly that happiness and self esteem depend more on what others around you have than what you have. In tribal societies this jealously works to keep people working up and knocking others down to the same level. It's not nice, it's brutal, it just looks nice when you're not involved personally.

Tribes were exactly what I was talking about. Most have some systems whereby if a big man gets too much power a group of elders will get together to force him out or even have him murdered. This was how humanity worked for thousands of years.

This is exactly what also happened in ancient Athens. Almost all their heroic, beloved leaders died in exile or were killed. Ancient Greeks also very much believed that might is right. Their heroes were mad men and murderous psychopaths.