The daily worker., 1925-03-05


Olympian gods was. like motals, sub
iect to the control Of the two god
dessss, Moirae and Parcae, in whose
power rested the destiny of mankind.
In the Hesiodic Theognia. that magni
icent attempt to place the gods in
their chronological order. despite its
incoherence and confusion ARISING
seemingly from diversity Of author
ship as well as diversity of age"
(History Of Greece, GTote) the Marx
list can clearly perceive this titanic
struggle. The bestial malignancy
that pervades the works of Euripedes
Aeschylus and Sophocles--the great
tragic poets appears as ferocious out
bursts OF insanity unless viewed in
the light Of the struggle Of the patri-
archy to consolidate It's power over
the matriarchy.
This conflict. altho manifesting
l itself as sex struggle. was, as
Marx observed, the fret class struggle
in human society, and 1t eliminated
in the victory of the patriarchy, des-
cent by female lineage gave way to
descent by male lineage and the pa
ternal right of inheritance Of prop.
erty. Granted this victory. strict
monogamy was next introduced, but
for women only.
Property thenceforth became the
dominant factor of family life, and,
as Morgan says. sufficiently power
full to touch the organic structure of
society" (Ancient Society. page 399.)
So monogamy, instead of being in
spired from above, is seen to be the
result of the sordid and mercenary
desire of man to transmit property to
his offspring.
This change in social structure has
1 far-reaching effects. Society at
low stage Of development is, as we
have seen, under the domination of
sexual ties. With the development OF
the productivity of labor, private
property, which IL based upon the ex-
ploitation Of the labor-power Of 9TH
ers, comes into existence; the divis-
ion of society it40 classes, the ilnpos-
sibility 0f rerq sdling Che old social
system With tie new productive forces |
becomes apparent and the old society,
based upon sexual ties, gives way to
a new form Of organization created
for the specific purpose Of perpetual
Ing class rule--the state. This latter |
form, instead of being based upon fam.
lily groups, is organized upon a terri |
torial basis.
With the establishment OF the state, |
which heralds the fall Of the matri. |
archy. the class struggle no longer as
sumes the form OF a sex struggle for
the reason that both the slave class
and the ruling class comprise both
men and women.
Degradation Of Woman.
THE condition Of women in ancient
f, Greece is the classic example of
woman's position in the homogeneous
family and is concisely stated by the
orator, Demesthenes. who says: eve
marry women to have legitimate chill.
dren and to have faithful guardians
Of our homes, we maintain concubines
for our daily service and comfort and
courtesans for the enjoyment Of love-"
Every one Of the foremost men of
Greece had his concubines and courte
sans, just as the leading lights of the
SNUG, church-going, cathedral build
ing bourgeoisie of today have their
lretinue Of kept women.
Prostitution develops for the first
time under monogamy. The depend
ent condition Of woman makes neces.
sary the selling Of her charms as a
trade.
Adultery also appears, as many wo
men, revolving at the neglect Of their
husbands, seek solace in the arms Of
lover, so thnt despite the institution
OF the monoganes eyrm OF marriag
by man to guarantee the legitimacy
,of his offspring "the certainty Of par
entage rests as Of old on moral con
viction at best and in order to solve |
the unreconciliable contradiction, the
code Of Napoleon decreed in its art
Gle 312: The child conceived durini
marriage has for it's father-the hus-
band This Isl the last result Of three
thousand years of monogamy." (En
gels Origin Of the Family, page s2.)
+ the moralists OF today consider the
1 sex organization OF the savages an6
barbaTians immoral what would be the
"heathen's" judgment of this society?
Under the old gentle organization
marriage between individuals OF diff
ferent general .Sns is prohibited. In
our society II rs common thing to
see rich old roue OF sixty have fol
a wife a young, girl OF twenty. Such
union is solempized and sanctifed by
all the pompsI OF church and state,
and should one intimate that any
given girl who enters such union Is
q prostitute he would get term In
prison for SANDER. Yet will insis
that such a one is q prostitute am
FafHoM IN I