Note AC — Chapter XI · DEVELOPMENT OF THE REPRODUCTIVE IMPULSE

The error committed by the radicals is that they read human history and neglect to read natural history. In the beginning of history permanent mating was already abolished. Permanent mating was a necessity only as long as the couples lived separated. When, however, already before the dawn of civilization, mutual aid was added to self aid, when for the sake of protection men began to live in herds, and all the males had the responsibility to procure the food for the entire herd, the individual father was released from such responsibility, and there was no necessity any longer for permanent mating. The result was promiscuity, as found by Caesar (Bell. Gal. v. 14), among the Britons: “uxores habent deni duodenique inter se communes et maxime fratres cum fratribus, parentesque cum liberis,” and by Strabo among the Celts of Ireland: “καὶ φανερῶς μίσγεσθαι ταῖς τε ἄλλαις γυναιξὶ καὶ μητράσι καὶ ἀδελφαῖς.” From promiscuity the sexual relations run through a certain cycle of consanguineous marriage, punaluan family, pairing family, polygamy back again to monogamy, as now practised in most of the civilized countries. All these changes were made in the interest of the progeny, although often unconsciously, just as the growing affection of two lovers is, in reality, already the will for life of the new individual which they could or might beget.