I just read the Carlos Gracie book and made a little video about my thought. I quote my self:
"Carlos Gracie - the creator of a fighting dynasty" by Reila Gracie of is amazing book on the history of Gracie-clan and the history of Jiu-Jitsu in Brazil. It potrates Carlos as the mentor of the family - both in jiu-jitsu and spiritual matters. Reading it i got a realization that it was the size and strengh of the Gracie-family that really ensured the development and suvival of ther style. While other indedendet jiu-jistu clubs got absorbed into the great international Kodokan Judo organization, the Gracies where strong and big enough to walk their own path. So it was actually the religious beliefs of Carlos, namely; sex for repoduction, that enabled the independent development of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Ofcourse this is just part of the story, but I think its a big part."
I have been studying the history of jiu-jitsu, grappling and MMA for over ten years now, reading many modern and vintage books/articles about the subject. The offical story of skinny Helio (or Carlos) "inventing leverage" and creating better techiques in nice and simple. But if one looks at pre-1925 JJ/judo manuals and videos from one can spot most of the self-defence and grappling techniques includen in the Gracies old 36-lectiones or Helio Gracies book: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
I see that the Gracie jiu-jitsu is a tradition that actually preserves and developes the type of Jiu-Jitsu that was popular in Europe and Americas in the early 1900.
Practically all the other JJ-schools joined Kodokan one by one, but the Gracies kept their independence. I see this was possible because of great size of the clan. They had the strenght in numbers. Ofcource the Gracies where (and are) also great at teaching, fighting and marketing. But I boubt if we where to practice Brazilian jiu-jitsu if Carlos did not have his religios beliefs - namely sex for re-poduction.
Anyway, I recomend everyone intrested in history of Brazilian jiu-Jitsu to read the book: "Carlos Gracie - the creator of a fighting dynasty"