Jordan Koch
Sociology 101
Research Paper

Patriarchy What is Patriarchy? The basic definition is control by men and literally means “the rule of the father”. The term was used to refer to autocratic rule by the male head of a family, however; in modern times it typically refers to social systems where adult men primarily hold power. Males hold primary roles such as political leadership, moral authority, and property control, and fathers hold control over wives and children. Matriarchy is when women have control. Many countries including America are mainly a patriarchy. Throughout the history patriarchy has wiggled its way into the social, political, legal, and economic organization of a range of different cultures throughout the world. Evidence suggests that prehistoric hunter and gatherer societies favored equality for all people and that patriarchy social structures didn’t develop until years after the end of the Pleistocene era. One researcher, Robert M. Strozier, says historically there is no evidence found yet that there was a specific event that triggered patriarchy. Others think that the beginning of the spread of patriarchy had started six thousand years ago when the concept of fatherhood took place. The geographical record shows that there was climate change around 4000 BCE that had led to famines in the Sahara, Arabian Peninsula and the Central Asian deserts. James DeMeo argues that this is the event that occurred and led to patriarchy. This resulted in warlike, patriarchal structures to secure food sources. A protrusive Greek general Meno says that men need to know how to administer the state, and in the administration of it to benefit his friends and harm his enemies; and he must also be careful not to suffer harm himself. Meno also says that a woman’s duty is to order her house, and keep what is indoors, and obey her husband. Aristotle’s