As hunter-gatherers joined larger groups, they probably superimposed their patriarchal authoritarian family structures on their new societies. The law of the jungle (might makes right), forced patriarchs to surrender their daughters to loveless marriages that cemented relationships with the powerful. Often, the sons of jungle-dwellers were forced to provide military service to the nobles. Serfs were allowed to farm the commonly held lands for sustenance, but title belonged to the state. Rulers granted use of the estates to favored courtiers who would collect the product of the serfs and send it to them. Hard currency proved more useful than the serfs’ produce. More money was obtained when lands were sold to the nobles to exploit as they saw fit. To increase production, the poor were forced off the productive land, a process that continues today.

Many attempts were made to limit the power of rapacious propertied elites. Moral suasion failed when churches began trading promises of eternal life for dying people’s estates. Revolutions substituted one set of authoritarians for another. Representative government reforms were largely nullified by big city political machines giving credence to the idea that, “We gave the best government that money can buy.” Paternalistic capitalism has given us technical sophistication but holds us in childlike dependency, hoping for a savior or seeking escape in alternative or chemical realities. We are still stuck living in the jungle.

Being your brother’s keeper is often seen in animal behavior. This civilizing impulse appears to be the only rational foundation for morality. In working for the survival of our species and our planet we will regain our lost status as moral agents. The children of our civilization must have sufficient physical and mental space to develop their individuality. What they choose to love, to tolerate and to hate will determine mankind’s future.

We will never be able to build civilization on the shaky foundations of paternalism and private property.

John E. Gibson

Owatonna