How Capitalism Helped Ruin The Family™

I’ll never forget how confused I was when for the first time I met a boy, no, a man

who was jealous of his father.

His dad had bought a new car, and he was left with an old one.

His dad, his blood, the very man who gave him life – was no longer just a parent – seen

through that prism – but a business associate, a bank, a financial partner and competitor.

The family – commodified.

Engels, who doubled both as Marx’s great literary and philosophical partner, as well

as the sugar daddy to beat all sugar daddies – published a very important, and relatively

controversial to this day, piece of literature not too long after Marx had passed.

Based on his own thoughts and research, those of Marx and of a Lewis Henry Morgan – a

19th century anthropologist and advocate for native American rights, he published The Origin

of the Family, Private Property and the State.

In it he discusses the development of human society and the family.

While his views on the different stages of social growth – from what he calls primitive

communism – to today’s capitalism are incredibly interesting, though a bit debunked

by the anthropological community – his views on Capitalism’s impact on the so called

Bourgeoise family is absolutely fascinating.

People who’s whole career is based in conspiratorial fearmongering have been misquoting the Marxian

stance on family since the good old cold war – pitching the idea that somehow they want

to derail everything and anything you hold dear.

Nationalizing children – throwing them in the town square to be raised by the commune

or telling parents how to look after their kids and other such nonsense.

All this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Engelses book – if anything – implies that the very modern ideals of familiar connection

based on love, community and care have been corrupted by one simple thing – the financial

relationship and dependance these family members share.

Now what does that mean?

Well let’s take a deep dive.

To simplify greatly – and I do mean greatly – according to Engels there were 3 stages

to the development of the family: 1) The first stage was when we established

a difference between generations – and allowed only the formation of families between those

in similar ones – a period where relationships between parents and children no longer occurred.

A stage which differentiated us from animals.

2) The second stage extended the taboo to relationships between siblings as well, but

due to a lack of knowledge at the time relationships between first cousins most likely still occurred.

3) In the final stage, which occurred eons ago for the first time – the husband had

one primary wife.

Inbreeding was practically eradicated and monogamy as a concept slowly arose into the

mainstream.