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7. Primitive Clubs and Secret Societies
70:7.1.Blood kinship determined the first social groups; association enlarged the kinship clan. Intermarriage was the next step in group enlargement, and the resultant complex tribe was the first true political body. The next advance in social development was the evolution of religious cults and the political clubs. These first appeared as secret societies and originally were wholly religious; subsequently they became regulative. At first they were men's clubs; later women's groups appeared. Presently they became divided into two classes: sociopolitical and religio-mystical.
70:7.2.There were many reasons for the secrecy of these societies, such as:
70:7.3.1. Fear of incurring the displeasure of the rulers because of the violation of some taboo.
70:7.4.2. In order to practice minority religious rites.
70:7.5.3. For the purpose of preserving valuable "spirit" or trade secrets.
70:7.6.4. For the enjoyment of some special charm or magic.
70:7.7.The very secrecy of these societies conferred on all members the power of mystery over the rest of the tribe. Secrecy also appeals to vanity; the initiates were the social aristocracy of their day. After initiation the boys hunted with the men; whereas before they had gathered vegetables with the women. And it was the supreme humiliation, a tribal disgrace, to fail to pass the puberty tests and thus be compelled to remain outside the men's abode with the women and children, to be considered effeminate. Besides, noninitiates were not allowed to marry.