Letter 16 | The Patriarch - How He Developed (In English) | Letters From a Father to His Daughter

In this letter, Jawaharlal Nehru explains to his daughter the evolution of ownership and leadership within early human tribes. Initially, everything in the tribe was shared among all members, including the leader, or patriarch. The patriarch was primarily an organizer, with no special ownership of the tribe's goods. However, as the patriarch's power grew, he began to see the tribe's property as his own. Over time, leadership became hereditary, passed from one family member to another, and the idea of personal ownership emerged. This shift led to the division of society into rich and poor, as the patriarch's family began to claim more for themselves. Nehru concludes by indicating that he will continue discussing this topic in his next letter.