Gee’s Reviews > Sex and Culture > Status Update

As soon as the institution of modified monogamy, that is, marriage and divorce by mutual consent, became part of the inherited tradition of a complete new generation, the energy, either of the whole society or of a group within the society, decreased, and then disappeared

When first the Teutonic tribes appeared in history, manifesting great expansive social energy, they were absolutely monogamous, deistic, and monarchical. Parents, sons, sons' wives, and children formed a hearth-circle similar to that of the early Romans. The father was the head of the hearth-unit; over his wife and children his power was absolute.

It is often supposed that in the second century the Roman Empire was at its strongest. These provincials were the men who gave it strength, conditions in the provinces being such as to produce social energy.
Then in their turn the provincials reversed the habits of their fathers by extending their sexual opportunity

To the period of patrician domination belong the stories of Cincinnatus, Coriolanus, Camillus, and Cloelia. It was the patricians who defended Rome against the Tuscans and who gained the victory of Lake Regillus. They gave Rome her gravitas.

in the case of the Sumerians the adoption of less rigorous sexual regulations immediately preceded their subjection to the men of Babylon.
At first absolute monogamy was the rule. A wife was secured by means of payment to her parents; a marriage was arranged by the parents of the contracting parties; a man enjoyed full marital and parental authority. Gradually these conditions were modified

The subsequent loss of social energy after the emancipation of women, which is sometimes emphasized, has been due not to the emancipation but to the extension of sexual opportunity which has always accompanied it. In human records there is no instance of female emancipation which has not been accompanied by an extension of sexual opportunity

the energy of the most developed civilized societies, or that of any group within them, was exhibited for so long as they preserved their austere regulations. Their energy faded away as soon as a modified monogamy became part of the inherited tradition of the whole society. No group of human beings, however, has ever been able, or at any rate has ever consented, to tolerate a state of absolute monogamy for very long.

if the social conventions forbid direct sexual intercourse before marriage and limit the sexual opportunity after marriage, the tension which arises from the emotional conflicts may produce morbid symptoms or a state of regression, but usually the energy arising out of the conflicts is transformed into mental and social energy. If sexual freedom is the rule, there can be no such energy

no social energy can be displayed unless the sexual opportunity is limited. Other things being equal, however, social energy will be exhibited by any society which places a compulsory limitation upon the sexual opportunity of its members. Conversely, in all cases any extension of sexual opportunity must result in a reduction of social energy