A matriarchy would be better than a patriarchy for women?

[OutsideLookingOut]

I don't just mean women in charge, for example when Margaret Thatcher was PM that wasn't a matriarchy - she upheld typical patriarchal systems. I mean in a world primarily shaped by women - some examples might be medical research using female bodies, women seen as the default human.

Would we fall into the inverse problems the patriarchy presents? i.e. the patriarchy can hurt men as well as women - they can't express emotions other than anger because that would be gay or feminine. I wonder if motherhood would be put on a pedestal (though patriarchy has done this forever without actually ever helping women), would we still have capitalism...?

Or would the world be a better place?

I read a book based on this idea a couple of years ago, I'll go and find the title.

It's a (wo)man's world. By Stella Beake

Thank you! Going to check this out. What did you think though? Do you think men/boys must be oppressed? Will any ruling class oppress the opposite of them?

I really enjoyed it as a book. It was based on the idea of pendulum theory. So the women in the book took the world to the other extreme where men were oppressed.

The pendulum theory idea is that we go from one extreme to the other, as the pendulum swings. And then eventually settles in the middle.

I'm not sure it would ever happen though. And actually no society that is intrinsically unfair is going to be good.

There'd be fewer wars but massive world-wide row once a month.

Well maybe there’d be less wars for a start without all the ridiculous male egos in charge of dictatorships.

Why once a month? You do know we don't all menstruate at the same time don't you?

And, it could be argued that joking about women's mood swings is misogynistic.

Who’s telling us that? No one wants us at home not earning money, and paying no income tax or NI. It would break the country.

Would the whole world be matriarchal or just one country within it?

Apparently King Charles the second observed that if women could tolerate each other they would be a far mightier force than men.

I think most women who are bitchy to other women do so because they have bought into the patriarchy and think they need to fight for “alpha female” status. I think a matriarchy would be better for everyone.

Men have too much biological advantage to be oppressed en masse by women. You can only excercise so much power through the rule of law. If they started to feel we had too much of it there'd be a show of physical strength, riots and revolution and it we'd be back in our place.

I remember reading a book a long time ago about a breed of vampires who had created a matriarchy by biting into every male newborn baby's skull and piercing the part of the brain that makes men more aggressive, hence rendering males more submissive and with less tendency to aggressiveness.

Initially I was horrified... and then I started thinking whether this would actually be a good idea. Obviously not by piercing the brain, but we have plenty of scientific ways to silence genes. Silenced testosterone production? Imagine how much better the world be with a 75% reduced aggression caused by testosterone.

The Power, by Naomi Alderman might be interesting, as well.

I think that is one of the books that got me thinking about it. I think women would have to have an extra power to sustain it as described in that book but I am not sure they would jus become what men are now (which seems to be what is suggested, I read it a long time ago though).

I know this is meant to be light humour but I do wonder actually. If we put women's health first would women suffer so many symptoms or would we have more cures and solutions? Not that everyone gets PMS or PMT at all so there is that too :). And men currently don't even have that excuse.

I don't think any powerful country that was matriarchal could survive if the others did not follow suit. I think the other countries would see them as weak unless there was a situation like "The Power" where women gain extra powers against men. What do you think?

I read it ages ago, but I remember thinking ‘that makes sense’ as the women basically started treating the men like they (we) had been treated. Is that because it’s a natural response when one has the upper hand on a former aggressor, though? Or is it just the inevitable way of things when one gender has superior strength/power of some sort?

Which, I suppose, was the premise of the book. 🙂

I think we might be in a better position. No more billions on war and guns, put it into health and education instead. More tolerance for each other, more future planning, better childcare and nurses and carers being paid a fair wage...would solve a lot of societies problems.

I agree, we'd be invaded within a week.

I'd be interested in the economy of this matriarchy. Our current one is essentially structured so that money (in general) flows from men to women - either a higher-earning DH in private households, or women being more likely to be net state recipients in the public finances. I'm not sure why they would agree to this either without either "The Power" or some other inducement...

Have you seen any episode of the Apprentice when it's just the all women group doing a task?
Besed on years of observing their behaviour, this country would be buggered in a week.!

I found your comment about Margaret Thatcher being part of the patriarchy interesting. A pp mentioned that a matriarchy would respect carers and put money into health and education. However, if we accept MN is mostly female, judging by the comments made there must be plenty of women who wish to see funds cut for the disabled, seek to advantage themselves and their children through private healthcare and education, moan about any increase to the minimum wage, say that the NHS should be dismantled etc.

So are they reflecting the patriarchy or would these women have the same views in a matriarchy too? At what point does the 'ah well l, that's because we live in a patriarchy' line of arguement become the 'no true Scotsman's fallacy?

I don't mean this to be a cop out but those women are competing to be business partners with a man, again in a patriarchal system. Traditionally to get resources we've had to compete with other women for the favour of men. Also these women while "working together" still need to win. I am not sure if women in a matriarchy would have faced the same issues, had the same upbringings and thus behave in the same way...

There'd be fewer wars but massive world-wide row once a month.

fucking hell, who needs the patriarchy when women say stuff like this