The Idea
The text states that women were placed within a tribal solidaristic system that compensated for their deprivation by means of assistance from relatives. The point here is that the tribal structure did not abolish injustice, but it did provide a form of social alleviation. This opens the way to an understanding that distinguishes between the existence of close protection and the attainment of equality or justice.
Concise Formulation
The tribal solidaristic system: compensated: the deprived woman through assistance from relatives
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim appears in a context that explains how older social structures operated, not as ideal arrangements but as mechanisms of partial compensation. It therefore contributes to drawing a precise historical picture of relations within society. In this sense, it serves the book’s argument, which reads tradition as a social organization with its own limits and balances.
Why It Matters
The importance of this claim lies in the way it draws attention to the fact that women’s conditions are understood not only through texts, but also through the social networks that contained or constrained them. This helps read Arkoun as someone concerned with social structure rather than exhortation alone. It also makes clear that justice cannot be measured simply by the presence of solidarity.
Brief Evidence Passage
The text states that women were placed within a tribal solidaristic system that compensated for their deprivation through assistance from relatives. The meaning here is that the tribal structure did not abolish injustice, but it provided a form of social alleviation. This distinguishes between the existence of close protection and the attainment of equality or justice.
Reading Questions
- Does the text describe tribal solidarity as a genuine solution or merely a limited compensation?
- How does this claim change our understanding of women’s status within the old society?
Degree of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location in the book’s material.