B.A. Social Notes

                     Matriarchal Theory Macleannan , Morgan and Jenks are chief exponents of this theory. In their books, "Primitive Society"(1866) , "Studies is Ancient Society"(1877),"A History of Politics"(1900) ,they have explained this theory and rejected outrightly the proposition that patriarchal family was the earliest form of society. They maintain that the primitive family had no common male head and kinship was traced through mothers. The matriarchal family was prior to patriarchal family. The patriarchal family was possible only where monogamy or polyandry existed. The earliest form of marriage relation was polyandry. According to it one woman had more than one husband. In such a society kinship is traced through females and not males. Meclennan and Morgan share "the credit of discovering the clan, a maternally organised hereditary ,unilateral unit, unilateral because children under this system belonged to the clan ...

                                Patriarchal Theory So limited is the knowledge of the Political Scientists, regarding the origin of the state that it becomes very difficult, if not impossible to say when and how the state originated. But it can safely be asserted that the State is the outcome of historical evolution. Because, family is the oldest of all human institutions and because family is the first constituent of society, it has played a dominant role in the organisation of State. MacIver, an eminent political and social scientist, is of the same opinion. He says,"In the family,the primary social unit, there are always present the curbs and controls that constitute the essence of government, which is in continuation by the more inclusive society of a process of regulation that is highly developed within the family. The same necessities that create the family also regulate it. Here is government in...