Social systems have shifted from egalitarian to patriarchal, with some moving back. Patriarchy is a system where males hold all power, often leading to women being exploited. The US has made progress towards egalitarianism. Matriarchal and egalitarian societies still exist today.
Social systems throughout history have gone from predominantly egalitarian, or equal, to patriarchal, with some moving, albeit slowly, back into egalitarian. The term “patriarchy” refers to a social system in which males are the central authority figures. The term patriarchy literally translated means “rule of the father”. In a patriarchy, males have all the power: socially, culturally and legally.
Despite the common misconception that social systems have always been patriarchal throughout history, early hunter-gatherer societies were thought to be predominantly egalitarian in the sense that neither sex had position or authority over the other. In a hunter-gatherer society, both hunting and gathering were crucial to survival, which may have contributed to the equality of the sexes. While the precise reason for introducing patriarchy is unknown, male-dominated societies can be found in cultures dating back thousands of years.
In a patriarchal system, not only is the social system dominated by men. As a rule, the government is also dominated by men. The practical impact of a patriarchal system is that women are often considered second-class citizens and often exploited. In a patriarchy, women are often not allowed to hold positions of power, vote, or own property.
Not only is the male the figurative head of the family in a patriarchy, he is also often the legal and cultural head of the family. Most laws in a patriarchal culture favor the male figure in the family, often to the complete exclusion of the female. It is not uncommon for a woman to have no legal rights to her children or to her maintenance if a marriage ends under a patriarchal system.
There are, of course, varying degrees of patriarchy. The United States, for example, has historically been viewed as a patriarchal society; however, the 20th century brought many changes to the once male-dominated society. While experts can still debate whether the United States continues to be a patriarchal society, it has clearly made a number of legal and cultural changes that have brought it closer to an egalitarian society.
In today’s world there are still matriarchal societies and to some extent egalitarian societies. Matriarchy, the counterpart of patriarchy, is a society in which women, especially mothers, are the social and cultural leaders of the society. Some indigenous tribes in Africa have been called matriarchal. Egalitarian societies are just as rare as matriarchal societies. Some countries in Europe are considered more egalitarian than most other societies in the world, as are many traditional Native American tribes.
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