The author is interested in the relation which exists between the cultural main-factors: religion; economics, social organization and starts with some information on what has been done in this connection, then restricts herself to her own investigations of 1938 and 1939 on the Nsei, in the Bamenda Province of the British Cameroons still living under old traditional conditions. The economics of this tribe are mostly self-supporting. Money is only earned to lobola wives, as many as possible in order to fulfil best the demands of their ancestral religion by producing many descendants. From the European point of view a wife yields no interest as none of the products of her labour is used to increase the wealth of the family or for a higher standard of living. This earning of money only for lobolo purposes effects a special rhythm in the labour of men. Several stages are distinguished showing that their manual labour not being directly connected with their family life decreases already in the prime of their life. Then the labour rhythm for each individual is religiously shaped as also are their economical institutions. As farming is done by women their number regulates the amount of land alloted to a family. In fact, quite a number of fields remain untilled as no fields are cultivated for economic purposes. When the cleaning of the fields or harvesting has to be done men drop all their craft work, trade, etc., for it is their main-interest to insure enough food for their families. As descendants are the centre and aim in the life of both sexes, men and women have an equal share of labour and responsibility. These conclusions are supported by exact observations given in the form of tables including a survey of men's occupations in crafts, trade, etc.; a description of trade and its profit; of goods transported to the coast and profits of sale (examples); weekly occupations and the profit on labour in crafts (examples). These tables show what little interest the men have in crafts and in trade. A special example shows to what extent farming is done by, and alloted to, a typical polygynous family. Tables are given on: the type; amount; profits of crops grown ; on house-building (expense of labour, feasts); on division of labour between the sexes. An additional note is given on the relation of religion and sociology as well as on sociology and economics.
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