PATRIARCHY

Patriarchy



Patriarchy

Introduction

Anthropology has defined patriarchy as a system of social organization in which key positions of power (political, economic, religious and military) are solely or mainly in the hands of men. Subject to this characterization, it was concluded that all known human societies, past and present, are patriarchal. This is a historical organization of great antiquity that continues to this day. Indeed, consider going through all the aspects of power to which this definition and see that we are unable to give a single example which does not relate to it. On the cause of the universality of patriarchy there are various hypotheses.

Discussion

Debates about patriarchy took place in different historical periods, and were taken up in the twentieth century by feminist movement of the sixties, in search of an explanation that could account for the oppression of women and enable their progress as equal citizens to men. Historically, the term was used to describe a type of social organization in which authority is exercised by the male head of household, owner of the property, wife, slaves and property. The family is, of course, one of the basic institutions of the social order. This term invoked much attention and concern in the recent times when the equality of men and women was extensively supported in all international forums (Pratt, 1991, pp. 167-189).

Feminists have analyzed and theorized about different expressions that have been adopted in history including different geographies, structuring institutions of public and private life, from family to the society. They also defined the ideological, economic and political concept and singles out the shape of the political right to be exercised for male only.

In stories about the origin or creation of systems of social and political organization of public and private world, we find speculative histories, considering that society emerges from the patriarchal family, or originating in the contract. The power in patriarchy can have divine origin based on a voluntary agreement; but in all these models, the dominance of men over women is maintained (Bayer, 1994, pp. 190-203). In Mesopotamian society, as in elsewhere, the patriarchal domination of family took multiple forms including the absolute authority of man over children, authority over the wife and concubinage. The fundamental structures of patriarchal, social relations of kinship and two very important institutions for the lives of women include compulsory heterosexuality and the sexual contract. The institution of compulsory heterosexuality is necessary for the continuation of patriarchy, as it expresses the requirement of co-existence between men and women in rates of masculinity or femininity, numerically balanced. Along with these two categories, the sexual politics or power relations are established between men and women, for no reason other than sex and regulate all relationships. In patriarchy, not all family relationships are therefore to be understood literally, but at the risk of leaving out other social institutions that truly understands the status of female community.

With the formation of modern states, the power of life and death over other members of your family spends the ...