ABSTRACT
The domestic unit in Ratcha cannot be fully understood without making reference to the kinship and marriage systems in which it is embedded. They share several attitudes and sustain each other’s existence. Furthermore, it is the interaction between domestic unit, kinship network and marriage patterns from which villagers are able to derive the greatest benefits of the Soviet Georgian State, in their opinion. Although this theme has already been explored in the last two chapters, it is necessary to be more explicit in relation to kinship and marriage.
