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Did a matriarchal society ever exist?

Songbird

Songbird

She rules her life like a bird in flight
A matriarchal society? There were several throughout history, but not a global trend.
 
Iti oj

Iti oj

Global warming is real and we need to act
Premium Member
the musou people in china i think are one the last forms of this society left today
 
Kathryn

Kathryn

It was on fire when I laid down on it.
All I know is this:

I thought I wanted it all - family, career, management positions, etc. I wanted to be 50/50 at home in my marriage - whatever the heck that means in application.

Now, my husband is the "boss." What this means is a bit complex - he does get the final word on things - but then, he's not one to throw his weight around and he respects me and my mind and my opinions, so...that's not such a big deal. He gets to (get this) GET UP AND GO TO WORK EACH DAY. Lucky man! He gets to DO ALL THE HARD MANUAL LABOR around the house and yard. Sure do wish I could do that...not. He does exciting things like CHANGE TIRES. He gets to be the final authority with a rebellious teenager. Such a power kick, right? He takes care of things like ammo and guns and home repairs and wrestling our dogs to the vet - all sorts of fun stuff. He's too old to join the military now, but I assure you that if someone broke into our home, he would jump in front of me and defend me to the very death if necessary.

Meanwhile, I get to get up when I want to, set my own schedule, indulge my creative side, stop whatever I'm doing whenever I want to so I can run go visit some grandbabies, and in exchange for all this freedom, I go to the grocery store (with the money he earned), cook our meals, keep our house clean (which isn't very hard since we're both neat people), and do the laundry basically. I keep the house running smoothly, and the kids hugged up on and nurtured, and he funds everything via his labor. (not to say he's not a loving father, but I have more free time with the kids than he does.)

Maybe he would hate it if our positions were reversed, and if so, I sure am glad. But as far as power is concerned, if this is relinquishment of power, where can I drop off some more of it?

I know this isn't really about a SOCIETY at large, but societies start at home. With great power comes great responsibility. Sometimes it's nice not to have so much "power." There comes a point when you have to ask yourself "What or who is really controlling my life?"
 
Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Marble said:
Or is it just an invention of some feminists?
Click to expand...

I think certain feminists have exaggerated the extent to which matriarchical societies are known to have existed. Some very speculative -- one might say, irresponsible -- books have been published that make it sound like we know for certain that all or almost all societies before the eariest known patriarchies were matriarchies.

Having said that, there have been known matriarchies. For instance, some Pacific Island societies were matriarchies, and the Minoan Civilization might have been a matriarchy, among others.
 
Valjean

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Matrilocal, matrilineal, even 'matrifocal', yes, but matriarchal -- where the women wielded true political authority? -- Doubtful.
 
LegionOnomaMoi

LegionOnomaMoi

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Songbird said:
A matriarchal society? There were several throughout history, but not a global trend.
Click to expand...
To my knowledge there haven't been any, at least in the way the term "patriarchal society" is used. Matrilineal? Sure. Tribes with ruling councils of women? Yes. Tribes/societies/etc. ruled by women and only women? No. The professor of women's studies Cynthia Eller wrote a book on this titled The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory. Ronald Hutton, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Philip G. Davis, have also either indirectly or directly addressed the question of matriarchal societies.
 
6

6079_Smith_W

Member
Kathryn said:
All I know is this:

I thought I wanted it all - family, career, management positions, etc. I wanted to be 50/50 at home in my marriage - whatever the heck that means in application.

Now, my husband is the "boss." What this means is a bit complex - he does get the final word on things - but then, he's not one to throw his weight around and he respects me and my mind and my opinions, so...that's not such a big deal. He gets to (get this) GET UP AND GO TO WORK EACH DAY. Lucky man! He gets to DO ALL THE HARD MANUAL LABOR around the house and yard. Sure do wish I could do that...not. He does exciting things like CHANGE TIRES. He gets to be the final authority with a rebellious teenager. Such a power kick, right? He takes care of things like ammo and guns and home repairs and wrestling our dogs to the vet - all sorts of fun stuff. He's too old to join the military now, but I assure you that if someone broke into our home, he would jump in front of me and defend me to the very death if necessary.

Meanwhile, I get to get up when I want to, set my own schedule, indulge my creative side, stop whatever I'm doing whenever I want to so I can run go visit some grandbabies, and in exchange for all this freedom, I go to the grocery store (with the money he earned), cook our meals, keep our house clean (which isn't very hard since we're both neat people), and do the laundry basically. I keep the house running smoothly, and the kids hugged up on and nurtured, and he funds everything via his labor. (not to say he's not a loving father, but I have more free time with the kids than he does.)

Maybe he would hate it if our positions were reversed, and if so, I sure am glad. But as far as power is concerned, if this is relinquishment of power, where can I drop off some more of it?

I know this isn't really about a SOCIETY at large, but societies start at home. With great power comes great responsibility. Sometimes it's nice not to have so much "power." There comes a point when you have to ask yourself "What or who is really controlling my life?"
Click to expand...

Insightful words.

Every society has traditionally had ascribed rights and responsibilities for each class and gender. Modern society however, is slowly eroding those distinctions through feminism and Marxism. They are trying to engineer a different kind of society.
 
Me Myself

Me Myself

Back to my username
Kathryn said:
All I know is this:

I thought I wanted it all - family, career, management positions, etc. I wanted to be 50/50 at home in my marriage - whatever the heck that means in application.

Now, my husband is the "boss." What this means is a bit complex - he does get the final word on things - but then, he's not one to throw his weight around and he respects me and my mind and my opinions, so...that's not such a big deal. He gets to (get this) GET UP AND GO TO WORK EACH DAY. Lucky man! He gets to DO ALL THE HARD MANUAL LABOR around the house and yard. Sure do wish I could do that...not. He does exciting things like CHANGE TIRES. He gets to be the final authority with a rebellious teenager. Such a power kick, right? He takes care of things like ammo and guns and home repairs and wrestling our dogs to the vet - all sorts of fun stuff. He's too old to join the military now, but I assure you that if someone broke into our home, he would jump in front of me and defend me to the very death if necessary.

Meanwhile, I get to get up when I want to, set my own schedule, indulge my creative side, stop whatever I'm doing whenever I want to so I can run go visit some grandbabies, and in exchange for all this freedom, I go to the grocery store (with the money he earned), cook our meals, keep our house clean (which isn't very hard since we're both neat people), and do the laundry basically. I keep the house running smoothly, and the kids hugged up on and nurtured, and he funds everything via his labor. (not to say he's not a loving father, but I have more free time with the kids than he does.)

Maybe he would hate it if our positions were reversed, and if so, I sure am glad. But as far as power is concerned, if this is relinquishment of power, where can I drop off some more of it?

I know this isn't really about a SOCIETY at large, but societies start at home. With great power comes great responsibility. Sometimes it's nice not to have so much "power." There comes a point when you have to ask yourself "What or who is really controlling my life?"
Click to expand...

An important difference is that you are saying you are okay with this system.

In a mathriarcal or pathriarcal society, you don´t get to choose at all.

If you didn´t like the current arrangement, I would (guess) you would talk to your husband and both would work things out, because things have come into place in a way you are both comfortable with.

this is because who you are, personality wise, not *directly* because of who´s got a utherus :D
 
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