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Why did Engels believe that the matrilineal family is the key to human history?
In Engels's book "The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State", he deeply discussed the important role of women in primitive society, especially the structure of the matrilineal family. This 1884 work was not only influenced by the theories of Karl Marx, but also an extension of the research of American anthropologist Louis H. Morgan. In Morgan's "Ancient Society", Engels believed that matrilineal society was the cornerstone of human history.
The rediscovery of the matrilineal family is to the history of primitive society what Darwin's theory of evolution is to biology.
According to Engels's view, the family structure of early society was rooted in maternal blood ties, which gave women relative power. In this structure, women live together with their classified sisters, forming strong group feelings. This common living pattern enhances solidarity among women and enables them to effectively cope with men's challenges.
Engels quoted a missionary letter in which he mentioned the matrilineal family system of the Irobi people and pointed out that "women dominate the family." The descriptions clearly show women's dominant position and authority in early society.
In a matrilineal society, property within the family is owned jointly and cannot be divided by gender or marital status.
However, with the rise of transferable property, the matrilineal family structure was gradually destroyed, and society began to shift to a patrilineal residential form and kinship system. Engels emphasized that this shift marked the loss of women's power and a fundamental change in the role of the family. This helps us understand the differentiation of men's and women's status in the family and the gender inequality fueled by private property.
Engels's views had a profound impact on historical sociology. He linked the erosion of women's rights to the rise of agriculture and livestock, arguing that this had a huge impact on women's dominance. He emphasized that the definition and rules of family changed with changes in social structure, causing early matrilineal families to be gradually replaced by male-centered families.
The overthrow of matriarchy is "a world-historic failure of the female gender."
In his historical analysis of the family, Engels mentioned four stages of family development, from kinship families to paired families, and finally evolved into male-dominated monogamous families. He pointed out that the relationship between family and property has maintained a close connection since ancient times and has had a lasting and profound impact on the social structure.
Engels also mentioned that as society develops to a higher stage, the definition of family continues to evolve, and the formation of a patriarchal society reflects the relationship between power and property. His analysis triggered heated discussions among later sociologists on matrilineal and patrilineal family structures, especially among feminist scholars. This topic has once again returned to the forefront of scholarship.
These theories and views of Engels still attract attention today. Although as time goes by, many scholars have different views on the status of the matrilineal society he proposed, it is undeniable that his work provides us with an important perspective to re-examine the past and understand today's family structure. So, can such historical analysis help us better understand gender issues and family dynamics in current society?
