We explain what matriarchy is and what its history is. Also, differences with patriarchy and examples.
What is matriarchy?
The matriarchy It is a type of society or sociopolitical model in which women play the central roleas political leaders, moral authorities, property controllers and decision makers. This term comes from the union of the words mater (Latin for “mother”) and archein (Greek for “rule”), and should not be confused with gynecocracy, gynarchy, or gynocracy.
There is much debate surrounding the exact meaning of the term matriarchy. Some assume that it is the reverse of the model that has governed our societies since the beginning of history, which is patriarchal, characterized by the dominance of men over women.
Others, like anthropologist Ana Boyé, defend matriarchy as “societies where women have non-coercive authority recognized by consensus.”
There are few cases of recorded human societies in which power has been openly held by women. Even in cases of queens, governors or elders in charge of a society, the latter is usually governed in patriarchal terms, ceding power to women in the absence or on behalf of the man.
What is known in our societies is the matrilineagea different concept, which designates the transmission of goods and social prestige through the maternal route and not the paternal route. This is known as “the right of the womb”, since the children born to a woman are 100% hers, while their paternity can always be disputed.
History of matriarchy
There is a belief in many societies that there was once a matriarchal order, prior to what was recorded in history, which was eventually overthrown by men to impose the prevailing patriarchy. However, there is no clear evidence of this.
On the other hand, There are myths of matriarchal societies like the Selknam of Tierra del Fuego, which gives rise to the assumption that perhaps at some point in human history it was women who structured society. In any case, the history of civilization is largely patriarchal.
However, during the 19th century many theorists, influenced by Charles Darwin's recent contributions to the evolution and origin of species, formulated a similar reading of human culture. So A theory was born that maintained that the initial society had constituted an initial matriarchal orderarising from the sexual promiscuity of animals.
In that hypothetical primeval, women exercised the power to decide to whom they gave offspring, but at some point they were overthrown by the patriarchal order that prevails to this day. Philosophers and anthropologists such as the American Lewis Henry Morgan or the German Friedrich Engels particularly supported these theories.
This can, of course, be interpreted in many ways, but not necessarily as meaning that sexism in society is a trait of human nature, much less to predict the predominance of patriarchy in the future of the species.
Examples of matriarchy
It is usually cited as an example and singular case of matriarchy. Minangkabau culture of Indonesiaan ethnic group inhabiting the highlands of West Sumatra. In this society Women hold the right of succession and inherit property from mother to daughterthat is, according to the matrilineal model.
The role of men, however, is far from submission, and they often emigrate in search of experience, wealth or commercial success, which is why women control the ownership of the land, for example, as well as the activity agricultural. So the claim that they are truly a matriarchy is to some extent debatable.
Matriarchy and patriarchy
Matriarchy and patriarchy They are antagonistic models. Each one focuses the exercise of power on women or men respectively, that is, They organize human society in sexist terms.
The existence of a patriarchal order during most of human history has been amply demonstrated in various aspects of culture and society. However, with the passage of time the role of women has improved their position and their rights against men, largely thanks to the struggle of the various waves of feminism.
The current place of women in patriarchal society, like many other issues, is currently a matter of discussion and debate, especially in the democratic republics of the West.
References
- “Matriarchy” on Wikipedia.
- “Differences between matriarchy and patriarchy” (video) by Anna Boyé.
- “Matriarchy” in the Soviet Philosophical Dictionary.
- “Knowing the matriarchy confronts you with your own prejudices” by Mónica López Ocón in El Tiempo Argentino.
- “A matriarchy is not the opposite of a patriarchy” in El Periódico (Spain).
- “Matriarchy” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
