The original and overwhelmingly consistent part of marriage is unifying property rights Bingo. Ownership of women, ownership of children, and subsequent inheri

The original and overwhelmingly consistent part of marriage is unifying property rights Bingo. Ownership of women, ownership of children, and subsequent inheritance of possessions (the illegitimate historically don't inherit) when the owner dies. Doesn't sound very nice to us, but it's what there was. Still, progress is what it's all about; maybe we can be better people than our ancestors.