Cross-Cultural Correlates of the Ownership of Private Property: A Look from Another Data Base

Authors

  • Floyd Webster Rudmin Queen's University

Abstract

Swanson's (1966) data base of 39 variables coded on 50 cultures was re-examined for cross-cultural correlates of the private ownership of property. Reliability comparisons were made with Murdock's (1967) Ethnographic Atlas. Eliminated were one of Swanson's cultures because of duplicate sampling of a culture cluster, and seven variables because of doubtful reliability. A conservative statistical analysis (p < .0003) showed the social institution of private ownership to be a positive correlate of (1) social classes, (2) agriculture in grain, (3) supernatural sanctions for morality, (4) primogeniture, (5) active ancestral spirits, (6) sovereign organization, (7) size of population, and a negative correlate of (8) collecting and gathering, (9) outgroup intimacy and (10) hunting. Theories that private property is a function of patriarchy were not supported, nor were arguments that property regimes are advanced by exogamy and other intimate interactions with alien people

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Published

2022-05-31

How to Cite

Rudmin, F. W. (2022). Cross-Cultural Correlates of the Ownership of Private Property: A Look from Another Data Base. Anthropologica, 34(1), 71–88. Retrieved from https://cas-sca.journals.uvic.ca/index.php/anthropologica/article/view/1861

Issue

Vol. 34 No. 1 (1992)

Section

Articles

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