Question

All of the following statements can be used to explain why the question of parental surname is more often raised now than in the past EXCEPT: A. The bias in favor of men was greater in the past. B. In the past, there were fewer divorces. C. In the past, property rights were more important. D. In the past, a change of surname might lead to loss of property. E. Women had fewer legal rights in the past.

Short answer

The statement that does not explain why the question of parental surname is more often raised now than in the past is: C. In the past, property rights were more important.

Step-by-step solution

Analyze Statements A

The bias in favor of men was greater in the past. This statement implies that there was a bias toward using the man's surname in the past because men had a higher societal status. This could be a reason why the question of parental surname is more often raised now, as society moves towards equality.

Analyze Statements B

In the past, there were fewer divorces. After a divorce, questions about which parent's surname to keep can arise. Hence, fewer divorces in the past could mean fewer instances of this question being raised, making this a possible reason for the greater instances now.

Analyze Statements C

In the past, property rights were more important. The relevance of property rights may have an impact on the surname issue if property was passed based on the surname. However, the level of importance of property rights does not directly correlate with the frequency with which surname questions are raised.

Analyze Statements D

In the past, a change of surname might lead to a loss of property. In a situation where property rights were tied to a surname, a change of surname could indeed lead to a loss of property. This could have acted as a deterrent against raising questions about surnames in the past.

Analyze Statements E

Women had fewer legal rights in the past. As with statement A, this statement implies a bias toward the man's surname. This can be a contributing factor as to why the issue of parental surname is more frequently raised now.