Unilineal Descent Organization and Deep Christianization: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

Abstract

The author studies variables that are usually regarded as the main causes of the decline of unilineal descent organization (statehood, class stratification and commercialization), along with a variable that has never been regarded as such a cause—deep Christianization. He finds that the traditionally accepted causes of the decline of unilineal descent organization are less significant (ρ = −.26 for the statehood; ρ= −.18 for class stratification, and ρ = −.23 for commercialization) than deep Christianization (φ = ρ = −.7). He also shows that the presence of unilineal descent groups correlates negatively with communal democracy and is especially strong for complex traditional societies (φ = −.49; = −.84). Because the communal democracy correlates positively with the supracommunal one, the Christianization of Europe might have contributed to the development of modern democracy by helping to destroy unilineal descent organization in this region.