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The medieval Catholic Church may have helped spark Western individualism

Early religious decrees transformed families and, in turn, whole societies, a new study says

Henry V wedding

In the Middle Ages, the early Catholic Church banned marriage between even distant relatives. A resulting transformation in family structure partly explains why Westerners today are more individualistic, a study suggests. This illustration shows Henry V, the King of England in the early 1400s, marrying Catherine of France in 1420.

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By Sujata Gupta

- More than 2 years ago

During the Middle Ages, decrees from the early Catholic Church triggered a massive transformation in family structure.