Contending forces
Briffault prefaced The Mothers with the warning that the forces allied against an evolutionary view of human origins and especially its matriarchical character were strident. Under the sponsorship of imperial and patriarchal rulers that "lead" politics and culture during the present eposh they are also relatively united, no matter how weak their theory and practice is. During the course of this debate, which records one example of the forces Briffault had to contend with sword in hand, it becomes more clear just how formidable his opponents were, even reflected in the opposing views of its editor.
