Which kinship system favors the relatives of the mother?

The answer is matrilineal descent, which is a kinship system that traces ancestry and inheritance through the female line, specifically through the mother's relatives. In this system, children belong to their mother's lineage rather than their father's. This often means that maternal uncles and grandparents play a significant role in the child's life and can inherit property or titles through their mother’s family. Societies that practice matrilineal descent typically emphasize the importance of women and their roles in passing on lineage and inheritance, contrasting with systems that favor male relatives.

Understanding matrilineal descent is essential for grasping how different cultures organize family structures and authority. In contrast, paternal descent focuses on the father’s side, bilaterally descent involves recognizing both maternal and paternal relations equally, while patrilineal descent involves tracing ancestry and inheritance through the father's lineage. This highlights the diverse cultural practices regarding kinship and family organization across societies.