The evolution of modern marriage : a sociology of sexual relations

Front matter

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Preface

OF a series which I propose to call Die Entwicklungsstufen der Menschheit, there have appeared to date, Der Sinn des Lebens, Phasen der Kultur, Formen der Ehe, and Die Familie. 'These, with the present volume and the ensuing ones, will, it is hoped, constitute a unified systematic sociology? (cf. the general plan at the end of the book). However, each book is an entity in itself, and should be comprehensible without reference to the others. The present volume, The Evolution of Modern Marriage, then, is closely connected with the last two volumes on geneonomy, but is so planned that it will require only a short introduction.

By Geneonomy we understand the sum of all those expressions of social life that have reference to the preservation of the species, i.e. all those manifestations that have for their purpose the compensation of passing generations by future ones or are directly connected with it. As we have stated elsewhere, these are in outline form? :—

A. THE SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP (ie. the relations between man and woman); in particular—

1. Love. 3. Obtaining Wives. 2. Motives for Marriage. 4. Marriage. 5. Social Position of Woman.

B. THE RELATIONS BETWEEN GENERATIONS (i.e. the relations between parents and children, or, more generally, between the older and younger generation).

1. Family. 3. Education. 2. Natural Selection. 4. Inheritance. 5. Social Position of Old Age.

t In the meantime another has appeared under the title Zadhmung der

Nornen. 2 Formen der Ehe, der Familie und der Verwandtschaft, chap. ii; Einteilung des Gesdémten Gebietes der Geneonomie.

C. CLAN RELATIONS.

1. Clan. 2. Consanguinity Systems. 3. Marriage Regulations.

In the preceding book (Die Familie) we have reviewed all these geneonomical manifestations, and have divided the stages of their evolution in the following manner :—

1. CLAN Epocu: where human society is built upon the principle of common ancestry, of blood relationship, whose prototype is the clan. This epoch again falls into three phases: in the early clan phase the clan gradually reached its greatest differentiation; in the high clan phase it flourished to the greatest extent; in the date clan phase the clan, which up to now had been the foundation of society, gradually disintegrated as a result of a great evolutionary upheaval that led into

2. THE Famity Erocu.—In this reorganization the clan was split up into the individual families that it had previously held together: the family now assumes the clan’s economic functions, while a new element, the state, assumes the clan’s political responsibilities and becomes increasingly powerful. As in the tribal epoch, the family epoch also falls into three phases—its rise, the early family phase; its flower, the high family phase; and its decline, the late family phase, which coincides with the rise of capitalistic production.

Unless present indications deceive us, we stand to-day at the threshold of a new epochal transition, an epoch wherein the individual, the personality, comes to the fore, and which is hence called

3. [HE INDIVIDUAL OR PERSONAL Epocu.—Of this epoch we can know only the first beginnings, namely, the early personal phase that has begun with the differentiation of women.

Obviously, more than one principle of organization existed at any one time during these different epochs; we mean to

PREFACE II indicate merely that in the first epoch the clan, in the second the family, and in the third the individual, is to be considered as more dominant than both the others.

Since in the preceding book we have demonstrated this threefold system for the entire course of geneonomy, it is now our purpose to divide the whole into its component parts, and to show that the same important three-step law can be seen in each individual field. And here we will consider the field of sexual relationships which we have further subdivided into love, motives for marriage, obtaining wives, marriage, social position of woman. It must once more be emphasized that such an outline has nothing to do with detailed historical descriptions and reports, but with the results of a search in such material for tendencies and trends so that we may trace the directional lines of the progress of civilization and seek to discover laws of evolution.

MUNICH, April 1913

Weer 1O THE SECOND EDITION

THE present second edition appears unchanged after the death of the author. I have only indicated where necessary the other works of my husband that have appeared in the meantime.

BETTY MULLER-LYER

MUNICH, June 1917

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Contents

I

DIVISION OF PARTICULAR CONSIDERATIONS

Chapter I Introduction: Mutability Of The Love Emotion

Erocu I: PRIMITIVE LOVE

(i) Lack oF SEXUAL JEALOUSY, 26

Wife-Lending, 26. Westermarck’s Conception, 28. Exchange of Women, Sharing and Renting the Wife, 29. Defloration Customs, 32. Feast Promiscuity, Holy Orgies, 33. Lack of Jealousy in Women, 34

(ii) Lack oF CHASTITY, 35 Promiscuity among the Unmarried, 35. Prostitution Honoured, 37. Sexual Perversions among Nature Peoples, 37

(iii) Primitive Lack or SexuaL Mopesty, 38 Naked Peoples, 39. Rise of Modesty, 41

(iv) INDIFFERENCE TO THE REALITY OF FATHERHOOD, OR, RATHER, PARENTHOOD, 43 Marriages by Natural Selection, 43. ‘The Levirate, 44. Adoption, 46

(v) Lack oF Romantic LovE, 48 Among Indians, 49. Australian Negroes, etc., 49

(vi) PoLyGaMous INCLINATIONS, 51

(vii) SUMMARY, 52

The Sexual-biological Foundation of Man, 52. Ontogenetical proof, 53

14 THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MARRIAGE Epocu II: FAMILY EPOCH

THE SECONDARY FEELINGS OF LOVE, 54

Gradual Transition, 54. Modesty among Civilized People, 55. Chastity, 56. Prostitution in the Middle Ages, 57. First Appearance of Romantic Love, in Greece, China, India, etc., 59. Minnesingers, 61. Degeneration of Chivalry, 62. Marriage as a Family Attribute, 64

CAUSES OF THE RISE OF THE SECONDARY EMOTIONS, 66 Rise of Sexual Jealousy, 66. Purchase-Marriage, 66. Child-Betrothal, 67. Differentiation among Men, 68. Political Influence, 68. Religious Influence, 69. Refinement of Emotional Life, 69. Physical Disgust, 69. The Desire for A‘sthetic Pleasure, 70. Rise of Sexual Modesty and the Valuation of ‘True Parenthood, 71.

INFERIORITY OF WOMAN IN THE FAMILY EPocH, 72

Relations between Man and Woman in the Family Epoch, 73. Ideas of Woman in Classical Antiquity, 74. In Christendom, 76. In Shakespeare, Goethe, 78. Reasons for the Low Position of Woman, 80

REVIEW OF THE Famity Epocu, 81

SUMMARY, 81 Importance of Reversions, 82

Erocu III: PERSONAL EPOCH Transition from the Family to the Personal Epoch, 84

CAUSES OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LOVE EMOTION, 85

Capitalism, 85. Decline of the Family, 85. Change from the Military to the Industrial State, 86. Differentiation of Women, 86. Decline of the Birth-rate, 87. Refinement of the Emotions, 88. Agamy, 89

GENEONOMIC REVALUATIONS IN OuR OwN 'TIMEs, 90

Equal Rights and Sexual Differences, 90. Feminine Attributes, 92. Conception of the Lady, 92. Gallantry, 93. Legal Position of Woman, 93. Miss and Mrs., 94. Family Names of Women, 94. Double Sexual Moral

CONTENTS 15

Standard, 95. Spiritual Gulf between Husband and Wife, 95. Spiritual Bonds, 96. Conception of Prostitution, 96. Marriage as a Personal Matter, 97. The Flirtation, 97. Education for Marriage, 98. Wedding Celebrations, 98. Solubility of Marriage, 99. Interests of the Children, 100. The Illegitimate Child, 100. The Widow, 101. Prudery, 101. Valuation of the Sexual Life, 101. Rise of Individual Emotions of Love, 103. Influence of Abstinence, 104. Influence of Dress, 105. History of the Kiss, 107. Separation of Love from Economy, 108. Godwinian Marriages, 109. Lack of Privacy, 109. The Testimony of Literature and Science, 109

REVIEW AND SUMMARY, II0

Chapter II Changes In The Motive For Marriage Introduction: The Most Important Motives For Marriage

I. PrimiTivE MarriaGE MOorives IN THE First Epocnu, 112

The Labour of Woman, 112. Economic Character of Primitive Marriage, 113. Value of Children, 114

II. Motives FoR MARRIAGE IN THE SECOND EPpocn, 115

Legitimate Heirs, 116. Ancestor Worship, 116

III. Motives FoR MarRIAGE IN THE THIRD Epocn, 116

Individual Love, 116. Value of Descendants, 116. Economic Value of Woman, 117.

SUMMARY, I17

Chapter III Methods Of Obtaining A Wife

INTRODUCTION: Definitions, 118. The Different Forms of Marriage, 118

16 THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MARRIAGE Epocu I: VARIETY OF FORMS

MARRIAGE BY CAPTURE, II9Q

Examples of Obtaining a Wife by Capture, 120. Symbols of Capture Remaining in Wedding Customs, 121. Incorrect Explanations of These, 122. Other Relics of the Time of Marriage by Capture, 122

EXCHANGE-MARRIAGE, 122

SERVICE-MMARRIAGE, 123 Service-Marriage and Mother-Right, 124

Epocu II: PURCHASE- AND DOWRY-MARRIAGE

(a) PURCHASE-MARRIAGE, 124

Rise, 124. Examples, 125. The Price of a Bride among Different Peoples, 125. Rise of the Word ‘“‘heiraten’’, 126. Market-Marriage, 126

(6) Dowry-MARRIAGE, 127

Rise, 127. Three Transition Phases, 128. Money- Marriage, 128

Eprocu III: MARRIAGE OF INCLINATION, OR LOVE- MARRIAGE

Rise, 129. Chronological Results of Money-Marriage and Marriage of Inclination, 130. Review of the Three Epochs, 130. The Evolutionary Lines, 130

Chapter IV Antiquity

Importance and Duration of Antiquity, 131. Divergence in the Ideas of Geneonomic Conditions in Antiquity, 132. Grounds for a Primeval Monogamy, 133. Grounds Against It, 135. Social Propensities of Man, 136. Polygamous Inclinations, 136. View of Ancient Peoples Still in Existence, 137. Promiscuity, Group-Marriage, Polyandry, 143. Morgan’s System of Consanguinity, 143. Importance of Group-Marriage and Polyandry, 145

CONTENTS

EARLY CLAN PHASE

Representatives, 146. Everywhere Individual Marriages and Individual Families, 147. Monogamous Peoples, 147. Polygyny, Loose Marriages, 148. Woman as Beast of Burden and Slave, 149. Marital Fidelity, 150. Patriarchal Character of Love, 152. Economic Reasons for Primitive Marriage, 153. Primitive Marriage as an Economic Arrangement, 153. Critique on the Foundation of Marriage, 154

HIGH CLAN PHASE

Lowest Agriculturalists, 155. Honoured Position of Women, 156. Mother-Right (Matriarchy), 156. Reasons for Mother-Right, 156. Service-Marriage, 156. Avunculacy, 156. Flower of the Clan, 156. Weakening of the Family, 157. High Clan Phase Among Fisher-Folk, 157

LATE CLAN PHASE

Decline of the Clan, 158. Collapse of Mother-Right, 159. Higher Agriculturalists, 159. Pastoral Peoples, 159. Purchase-Marriage, 159. Father-Right (Patriarchal Marriage), 160. Polygamy, 160

EARLY FAMILY PHASE

Downfall of the Clan, 160. Rise of the State, 160. Rise of the Family, 160

HIGH FAMILY PHASE

Boundary between Pre-Historical and Historical Phase, 161. State, Domination, 161. Power of the Family Patriarch, 161. Permanent Monogamy, 161. Relics of Earlier Stages, 162. Forms of Marriage in the Ancient Orient, 162. Growing Tendency to Monogamy, 164. Causes of Permanent Monogamy, 165; Interest of the State, 166. Disadvantages of Polygamy, 166. Introduction of Slavery, 166. Secondary Feelings, 167

LATE FAMILY PHASE

Decline of the Family, 167. Capitalistic Organization, 168. Transition of the Military State to the Labour State, 168. Differentiation of Women, 168. Introduction of Divorce, 169. Increase in Divorces, 169. Masculine Domination and Equal Rights, 169. Right of Woman Suffrage, 169

B

18 THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MARRIAGE EARLY PERSONAL PHASE

Influence of Economics, 170

LINES OF DIRECTION:

I. The Woman Movement, 170. A Lawful Progression, 170. Law of the Division of Labour, 171. Need of Division of Labour, 172

II. Decline of the Family, 172. Co-operative Housekeeping as an Economic Necessity, 172. Profession and Marriage, 173

III. Individualism and Personalism, 173. Conception of Individualism, 173. Opposition between Individualism and Preservation of the Species, 173. Neo-Malthusianism,

MARRIAGE REFORMS:

Equality of Both Sexes, 174. Pure, Soluble Monogamy (Hagnochoristy), 174. Difference between Soluble Monogamy and Syndyasmy, 175. Free Marriage, 175. Views of Ellen Key, Forel, Letourneau, Spencer, 176, Advantages and Disadvantages of Free Marriage, 177. Economic Conditions for Free Marriage, 179. Education for Marriage, 179

MARRIAGE AND EUGENICS:

Darwin, Galton, Ibsen, Zola, Neitzsche, 180. Errors of the Past, 180. Christianity, 180. Quantitative Increase and Qualitative Betterment of the Race, 181. Conditions Changed by Capitalism, Hygiene, World Trade, etc., 182. Present Conditions, 182. Suppression of Natural Selection, 182. Artificial Selection, 183. Ideal of Artificial Selection, 183. Selection and Monogamy, 183. Selection and Pologamy, 183. Selection and Free Love, 184. Positive and Prophylactic Selection, 184. Hindrances, 184. Education of Public Opinion, 185. Legal Demands and Punishments, 185. Selection and Differentiation of Women, 185. Co-operative Housekeeping and Sexual Selection, 185. Conclusion: Eugenics as the Pivot of the New Sexual Morality, 186

CONTENTS 19

Chapter V Phases Of The Social Position Of Women And Their Causes

(A) GENERAL REVIEW OF THE PHASES OF THE POSITION OF WOMEN

Antiquity, 187. Early Clan Phase, 188. High Clan Phase, 188. Late Clan Phase, 189. Early Family Phase, 189. High Family Phase, 189. Late Family Phase, 190. Early Personal Phase, 190. Society, Family, and Woman, Igo. Opposition between the Family on One Side and Society and Woman on the Other, 191. Proofs, 191. The Position of Woman and the Geneonomic Epochs, 191. Graphic Exposition, 193

(B) GENERAL CAUSES GOVERNING THE POSITION OF WOMEN

1. ECONOMIC VALUE OF WOMAN, 194 2. SIMILARITY OF OCCUPATION, 194

. WAR AND INDUSTRY, 195

. WEALTH, 199

. MorAL SENTIMENTS, 199

. NUMERICAL RELATION OF THE SEXES, 199

NT an > W

. ForM oF MARRIAGE, 200

Polygamy, Polyandry, Monogamy, 200. Exchange- Marriage, 200. Purchase-Marriage, Service-Marriage, Dowry-Marriage, 200

8. RELIGION AND LAw, 200

(C) THE OUTLOOK: THE ONLY DIRECTIONAL LINES

Association of Labour, 201. Differentiation of Women, 201. Future of the Woman Movement, 202. Equality of Man’s and Woman’s Work, 203. Transition of the Military to the Labour State, 203. Political Equality,

203. Increasing Wealth and Growing Democracy, 203. Refinement of Morals, 204. Decrease of the Numerical Majority of Women, 204. Dissolubility of Marriage, 204. Repudiation of Dogmatic Religious Beliefs, 205.

SUMMARY, 205

Chapter VI

Introduction, 206. Inexplicable Individual Cases, 206. Variety of Sexual Customs among Peoples Living under the Same Conditions, 206. Examples, 206. Conception of “‘pliability’’, 206. Transformations in Sexual Morality up to the Present 'Time, 207. Examples: Italy in the sixteenth, France in the Eighteenth Century, 207. American Feminism, 209. Change in the Conception of Prostitution, 209. Pliability and Sexual Perversion, 210. Psychological Reasons of Pliability, 210. Pliability and Secondary Sexual Feelings, 210. Deeper Significance of Pliability, 210. Fanaticism in Sexual Morality, 211. Its Importance, 211

II DIVISION OF GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

Chapter VII The Method Of Phases And Directional Lines

Science and Prophecy, 215. Sociological Prediction, 216. Moderate and Radical Marxism, 217. The Phasal Method or the Method of Directional Lines, 219. Phases, Lines, and Laws of Direction, 221. Interfunctional Laws, 222. Advantages of the Phasal Method, 223. Predictions based on the Phasal Method, 225

CONTENTS

Chapter VIII The Directional Lines In The Evolution

OF SEXUAL RELATIONS

Introduction: The Phasal Method applied to the Evolution of Sexual Relations, 227. Particular Difficulties, 228

(A) ECONOMIC DIRECTIONAL LINES

Influence of Economics on Geneonomy, 230. The Law of Union of Labour and the Law of Geneonomic Evolution, 230

(B) PSYCHOLOGICAL DIRECTIONAL LINES

(i

—_

(ii)

The Human Will, 231. Inner Psychological Laws, 231. From Instinctive to Willed Action, 231. Reflex and Instinct, 232. Growing Spiritualization of the Sexual Life, 234

PRIMITIVE LOVE, 232

Indifference to Fatherhood, 233. Mother-Love, 233. Sexual Modesty, 233. Chastity, 233. Sexual Jealousy, 234. Jealousy of Possession, 234. Antagonism between Man and Woman and Primitive Marriage, 234. Original Instinct and Advancing Conscious Valuation, 234

FAMILY EPOCH, 234

Psychology of Sexual Jealousy, 235. Influence of the Feeling of Disgust, 235. Woman’s Ability to Choose, 235. Jealousy and Descendants, 235. Prizing of Chastity, 235. Psychology of Romantic Love, 236. /A¢sthetic Emotions, 236. Moral Emotions, 236. Woman as Subject and Object, 236. General and Individual Love, 236. Modesty and /ésthetics, 259. Feminine Instinct of Shyness, 236. Influence of Dress, 237. Family Epoch a Period of Force, 237

INDIVIDUAL OR PERSONAL EPOCH, 237

Antagonism between Man and Woman, 238. History of the Struggle, 238. Separation of Love from Economy, 238. Interdependency of Economics and Geneonomy, 238. Awakening of Self-Consciousness in Woman, 239.

“Feeling Into”? in Man, 239. Extending the Scope of the Imagination to Children, 239. ‘“‘Rationalization”’ of the Sexual Life, 239. The Child as Subject, 240. The Ideas of Eugenics, 240. Law of Conscious Valuation, the Growing Rationalization of Human Activity, 240. Causal Comprehension of the Law, 241. Intellectual and Moral Advance, 241. The World, Will, and Intellect, 242. Theories of Progress, 242. Obstacles to Future Growth, 243. Activism, 243

I

DIVISION OF PARTICULAR CONSIDERATIONS