What is patriarchy, what are patriarchy examples, and the four characteristics of a patriarchal system?
There are different definitions of patriarchy as there are examples.
The word “patriarchy” simply means the “rule of the fathers”, a social system where the father is the head of the household and has authority over women and children.
It’s also the dominance of men in social or cultural systems. In a patriarchal system, men dominate and control an entire society, from politics to economics to morals.
What Is Patriarchy?
The word “patriarchy” simply means the “rule of the fathers”, a social system where the father is the head of the household and has authority over women and children.
According to the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language Dictionary, patriarchy is defined as “A primitive social organization in which authority is exercised by a male head of the family, extending this power even to distant relatives of the same lineage”.
A patriarchal system describes a society dominated by men in which they control an entire society, from politics to economics and even the action of women.
For many centuries the patriarchy has determined what is right and wrong in society. Women were not allowed to get involved in societal affairs, while men had no restrictions.
For example, women in the United States were not allowed to vote until 1920. Although women in the United States technically won the right to open a bank account in the 1960s, they were granted the right to open a bank account in 1974.
In Saudi Arabia, women were not allowed to drive until 2018, after King Salman issued an order to allow women to drive in the country.
Every society in the world has a tendency to divide power among those considered to the be strongest. More men occupy leadership positions in politics and the society at large.
In a patriarchal system, many institutions give privileges to men over women. This causes an issue in society, creating a division, as men are seen to be more powerful or better than women at almost everything.
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Male Dominance in Patriarchy
Men dominating is a crucial aspect of patriarchal culture and one of the critical reasons for patriarchy in society. Biologically, men are built differently compared to women; they are stronger doing what requires physical and emotional strength.
Women have made significant scientific breakthroughs that men trusted more than newly designed computers. For example, American mathematician Katherine Johnson’s calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first U.S. crewed spaceflights.
In many cultures around the world, women are believed to only be good at being a wife and a mother. They think less of women as people who cannot offer anything to the community.
A patriarchal system is dominated by men, controlled, and functions on the rules set by men in authority.
A typical example of male domination in a patriarchal society describes a male CEO of a company. He’s the boss who is always present at the office every day, controlling all aspects of his job, and then heads home.
When he’s home, everything is done just as he wants. His wife already made dinner at 6 P.M and will take care of the kids if they any attention, while he’s relaxing on the couch watching a football game.
Patriarchy Examples
We will be looking at a few patriarchy examples and how women are affected by them. Domestic violence against women is a concerning issue in every society today.
Domestic Violence to Silence Women
A patriarchal society where men dominate may turn a blind eye towards domestic violence against women. In a patriarchal society, the idea is that women should be submissive and meek.
This may lead to women suffering physical and psychological abuse at the hands of men who little about their social status.
“About 40% of adult female hospital emergency room visits are caused by violence at the hand of the intimate male partner, whereas violence by intimates caused less than 5% of male emergency room visits” (Patriarchy and Domestic Violence: Challenging Common Misconceptions Steven R. Tracy, PhD p.3.).
In 1998, women experienced about 900,000 violent offences at the hands of an intimate partner according to the National Crime Victimization Survey. The statistics show that women experience violent offences five times higher than men experienced violence from a female partner.
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The Gander Pay Gap
This has been a concerning issue for decades and it remains so to this day. Generally, women are not paid like men, even when they are working in the same company.
Women tend to take job positions that require care and attention. For example, they primarily pursue a career in nursing and teaching, yet they are underpaid.
According to the American Association of University of Women, women in the United States working full-time still receive 83 cents to every dollar earned by men. This issue of the pay gap affects women, even after they retire from their jobs.
Because women earn less compared to what men are paid, they also receive less in Social Security and pensions.
Patriarchy Legal System
Generally, the laws and rules are biased towards men in patriarchal societies. Women are not favoured by legal provisions and laws like men. In a patriarchal legal system, men may be required to sign documents for their wives.
The Perspective that Men Are “Fit to Rule”
A patriarchal society is where men dominate and occupy positions of power. For example, political systems across the world are mainly dominated by men.
Higher political positions are assigned to men, regardless of whatever qualifications other members who are women may have. The general idea is that men are fit to rule, culturally and naturally than women.
Unequal Distribution of Domestic Work
In a patriarchal society, women are paid less for their skills and intelligence. Men benefit from this even to this today, as studies reveal that women do most of the housework and childcare.
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Male-Based Inherent Rules
Of all the patriarchal examples we have listed in this article, this is the one I can relate to culturally. In many cultures around the world (including mine) the male child inherits all the family’s fortune.
The family’s wealth, property, or whatever of value they have goes to the male child. The female child is not compensated for being a member of the family because she takes the name of her husband after marriage.
Greater Power for Men in the Family
In patriarchal societies, women are encouraged and expected to stay in abusive marriages regardless of how they are treated by their husbands. In a society like this, women are seen as weaklings and cannot survive on their own.
Expected Obedience of Women to Husbands
In a patriarchal family, the husband is the leader of the household and must be respected and whatever rules he makes stands.
As the man of the house, he must be respected at all times.
Patriarchal Gender Socialization
In a patriarchal family, the male child is encouraged to embrace masculine traits from an early age. The boys will act like boys in every way, play with the appropriate toys and avoid any behaviours considered to be feminine.
Also Read: 15 Adaptive Behavior Examples
Privileges for Me in Cultural Roles
A patriarchal society always creates a gap between men and women and expects appropriate behaviours based on gender. In patriarchal societies, attributes that are associated with masculinity are privileged, while those associated with femininity are underestimated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the frequently asked questions about patriarchy examples.
What is an example of a patriarchal society?
A patriarchal system describes a society dominated by men in which they control an entire society, from politics to economics and even the action of women.
In recent years, people have seen what women are capable of and are able to contribute to society. Hence, systems of patriarchy have slowly depleted.
What are the four characteristics of a patriarchal system?
In a patriarchal social system, men are dominant and command the highest authority, so their actions cannot be questioned by women.
The four characteristics of the patriarchal system include male dominance, male-centeredness, male identification, and obsession with control.
Conclusion
There are different definitions of patriarchy as there are examples. The term “patriarchy” is described in sociology as a form of social organization where institutional belief are dominated by men.
It’s also the dominance of men in social or cultural systems. In a patriarchal system, men dominate and control an entire society, from politics to economics to morals.
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References
- Study.com: Patriarchy Overview & Examples
- HelpfulProfessor: 10 Patriarchy Examples
- A Facio – Translated from the Spanish by Michael Solis, 2013: What is patriarchy
- D Coetzee – South African Journal of education, 2001: South African education and the ideology of patriarchy
- SR Tracy – Journal-Evangelical Theological Society, 2007: Patriarchy and domestic violence: Challenging common misconceptions
- AAUW: The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap
