Did capitalists invent monogamy and heterosexuality?
Did capitalists invent monogamy and heterosexuality?
Colton Rodriguez
Thomas Walker
No. They invented the Nuclear Family, Cornerstone of Western Civilization™ though. Most people are heterosexual and monogamous. Some people aren't. If you are monogamous and heterosexual, you do not need a state-regulated institution to hold you together in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex. If that's you're thing (as it is for most people) you will do that thing whether or not marriage exists as a practice. Therefore, the de facto function of marriage is to keep unhappy people together.
Kevin Edwards
Monogamy yes. Heterosexuality no.
Heterosexuality is how most living things reproduce, you cannot 'invent' it. Monogamy, on the other hand, forced by law, religion and threat of force is a symptom of a society based on private property and exchange. Monogamy was important to those who wished to pass on their riches to their genetic heir. That is not to say that most people wouldn't choose a lifelong partner at some point and be in a monogamous two-people relationship, it's just that other forms of relationships or lack thereof were accepted as long as they could support themselves and contribute.
In the past there were definite advantages of forming tight knit family groups, in terms of caring for one another and helping one another. However, today we are able to form groups and 'families' at a whim. We should no longer be forced to be monogamous.
Tl;dr: the State shouldn't have anything to do with marriage, romantic relationships and bedrooms
Michael Nguyen
Monogamy was invented by human evolution over the past million years or so.
Asher Johnson
No, it'd be more accurate to say it's a creation of civilisation itself as it has existed for many centuries before the ascension of the commodity system.
marxists.org
marxists.org
nigga please
Ryan Peterson
Yes. Neither of those things existed before 1700.
Charles Thompson
Monogamy came out of the invention of monarchies and inheritance due to the rights of the official offspring's and the law creating the idea of bastards that previously was a much smaller issue.
Cooper Ortiz
Not consciously.
The phenomenon did arise due to the the alienation, isolation, and commodification of all social life as a direct result of capitalism though.
Xavier Bell
Ok now this is epic.