What is endogamy, history of appearance, varieties. Public opinion about marriages within the same ethnic or social group.
Endogamy is a form of marriage that implies the legalization of relationships between people who belong to the same ethnic or social group, for example, a tribe, class, caste, race. It is impossible for people of other faiths, people from different social communities, to get married if this principle is observed.
Historical background about endogamy
In primitive tribes, men and women often converged on the same territory. They had no other choice, because they had to survive and continue their race in such conditions. History knows such endogamous tribes as Nodites, Parsis, Andites, Manchu Tatars.
Endogamous marriages were a suitable option for artisans, as they allowed their knowledge to be passed down from generation to generation, keeping the skill secret from the rest of society. The community grew strong. However, over time, problems arose: the offspring were born with poor health, infertility.
After understanding the full danger of incest and degeneration, dual marriages appeared. Under them, exogamy and endogamy were clearly distinguished, implying a different attitude towards building relationships in a couple.
In the first case, intimate relations with a representative of their tribe were prohibited. In the future, such strict restrictions began to lose their force when cousins of the same blood tied themselves by marriage. Such alliances were concluded with the aim of preserving family traditions and closing access to the clan of strangers. As a result, children from such connections suffered from many genetic diseases.
Marriages of people who adhered to the same faith in endogamy looked more optimistic. In terms of genetics, this relationship was safe for the next generation. In rare cases, the church forbade the conclusion of such an alliance, even if it was about Catholics and Orthodox. Lomonosov initially entered into an alliance with his beloved under rather dubious circumstances. This marriage acquired a more legal basis during a wedding in the Orthodox Church, which was more loyal to such situations.
When Lincoln came to power in the United States, relations between people of different races became possible. Prior to this period, such families were not only condemned by public opinion, but could also provoke a vendetta in relation to brave lovers. Usually, an abolitionist woman decided to connect her life with an African American, which is currently not relevant.
