According to the feminists and the goddess movement, the world is run by a patriarchal system known by other names such as the world bank system.
While the conspiracy theory that purports such a system is anti-Semitic and thus unworthy of respect, the term "patriarchy" deserves definition, being a system run by men for the benefit of men by keeping men in power.
In contrast, the term "matriarchy" must first be defined by what it isn't: it isn't a system run by women for the benefit of women by replacing men in power with women. Rather, a matriarchy is essentially an egalitarian system in which men, women, and children exist, free of the need for men or women to have power over everyone.
Thus, a matriarchy is potentially more democratic than a patriarchy which has more often than not co-opted democracy to keep men in power.
Yet men who derive their power from a patriarchy are adverse to the idea of a matriarchy, sometimes referring to it as a "tyranny of women" that trumps male power.
Ironically, male power within a patriarchy is a myth as boys and men are a higher risk of death and rape at an earlier age than girls and women.
While it is unknown if a matriarchy would reduce the risks inherent in a patriarchy such as murder and rape, it would be workable within populations of 10,000 people, and does not require dismantling the overlaying patriarchy.
For a matriarchy exists when a group of mothers and daughters rule their families in an egalitarian fashion.
In contrast, when the girlfriend or wife rule in an unfair manner ("women are allowed to freely express their anger but men are censured for being angry"), this is a form of patriarchal suppression since the reason for women censuring male anger is out of fear of male rage. In such situations, compliant men learn express male anger in a manner acceptable to women.
Such matriarchies exist in secret within Muslim culture, especially in Middle Eastern countries where the State is secular. In Afghanistan during the Taleban regime prior to 2003, matriarchies were disassembled one by one through what amounted to violent genocide.
Thus, within Muslim fundamentalist regimes, the overlaying patriarchy fears greatly the power of the matriarchy, and are killing key members of society, both male and female, to reduce its influence over women.
How well does a patriarchy rule its men, using fear and the myth of male power? For not only does such a regime kill women and girls, it also kills any boy or man who does not support its way of doing things.
In essence, a patriarchy works when everyone believes in the myth of male power.
Yet statistics prove time and time again that more men and boys die at the hands of men more often than girls and women do.
Even so, a fair matriarchy which operates in an egalitarian fashion within a family protects everyone from the ravages of patriarchy.
However, it is up to the wives, mothers and daughters to trump male power by exposing the myth to their children instead of perpetuating it.
For democracy is learned at the knee of a mother, not in the marketplace.
Originally written January 7, 2013 at 4:15 PM
Matriarchy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matriarchy
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