The world-wide cross-cultural tests performed in this paper support the hypothesis that monopolization of politically important information is inversely related with female status. Monopolization of politically important information displays a significant negative correlation with such important characteristics of female status as female leadership posts in kinship or extended family units, female ownership or control of dwellings, high value of female life, absence of a double standard in regard to extramarital sex, absence of physical punishment of wives, and absence of belief that women are generally inferior to men. |