Population, Warfare, and the Male Supremacist Complex

A demographic analysis of 561 local band and village populations fro m 112 societies found that male-supremacy social patterns were overwhelmingly predominant and that this male supremacy complex leads to both overt and covert female infanticide. Patrilocal or virilocal residence patterns were found in 48% compared with 22% matrilocal or uxorilocal and 19% bilocal. Polygyny was found in 84.8% compared with .6% for polyandry and 14.6% for monogamy. This practice may actually provide a defense for female children because they are needed to supply multiple wives. Brideprice is found in 57% while no corresponding groomprice is found in any society. Demographic analysis of 160 band and village populations censused prior to modern contact and while they still practiced warfare showed average sex ratio in age group 14 and und er of 128 boys to 100 girls indicating postpartum selection. Many cultures with markedly skewed ratios deny they practice any infanticide at all indicating such covert selection as clandestine aggression and various forms of malign and/or benign neglect. It is hypothesized that the perpetuation of warfare in band and village society and its interaction with selective female infanticide is a response to the need to regulate population growth in the absence of effective or less costly alternatives. In these same societies after tribal warfare had been suppressed for 26 years or more male: female ratios approached a more b iological normal. A hypothesis following this is that any sudden shift from high-protein low-calorie diets to low-protein high-calorie diets among less developed peoples may produce a spurt of population growth followed by an increase in female infanticide and intensification of warfare. This hypothesis has yet to be tested.