Excerpts from Russell’s Marriage and Morals.docx

The following excerpts are from the famous British philosopher Bertrand Russell’s Marriage and Morals (1929).1.Introduction“In characterizing a society, whether ancient or modern, there are two elements, rather closely connected, which are of prime importance: one is the economic system, the other the family system” (1). Russell continues by arguing that private property exists because of the family. He thinks that if children were raised by the state (like in Plato’s republic) there would be no need for private savings or private capitalism. He notes that many communists believe that in a true communist system the family (as we know it today) will not survive. He emphasizes the close relationship between the family structure and the social and economic structure.“Among human beings the co-operation of the father is a great biological advantage to the offspring, especially in unsettled times and among turbulent populations, but with the growth of modern civilization the role of the father is being increasingly taken over by the state, and there is reason to think that a father may cease before long to be biologically advantageous, at any rate in the wage earning class. If this should occur, we must expect a complete breakdown of traditional morality, (*) since there will no longer be any reason why a mother should wish the paternity of her child to be indubitable” (4-5).The purpose the Russell sets out for this book is to criticize the current ethics surrounding this issue of marriage and morals. He believes that in order to do this it is necessary to identify the “superstitions” that govern morals, as well asto address the unique circumstances of the modern age.2. Matriarchal SystemsIn this chapter Russell emphasizes that very little (if any) of human behavior is based on instinct. In societies in which the biological understanding of reproduction is not understood, families tend to be matrilineal (based on the mother, not the father) and the role of the father is