How did the growth of families and neighboring communities lead to inequality in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s account?

In his Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, Jean-Jacques Rousseau argues that inequality emerged as humans transitioned from solitary, primitive beings into social ones.1

The process began when individuals built their first huts, facilitating the cohabitation of males and females and the formation of families. This led to the development of "nascent society," where people began associating with neighbors. While Rousseau viewed this period as a "golden age," it contained the seeds of its own destruction:1

• Social Comparison: As neighbors began to interact, they started comparing their abilities and achievements. This comparison marked the first step toward inequality and vice.1
• Emergence of Pride: Innocent self-love transformed into amour-propre (culpable pride), as individuals began to demand respect and desire to be superior to others.1
• Introduction of Property: The subsequent establishment of property further entrenched inequality, necessitating law and government to protect the possessions of the rich while keeping the poor dispossessed.21

Ultimately, Rousseau viewed this evolution as a departure from natural innocence, leading to a state where human interests conflict and individuals become alienated from one another.1