Patriarchy

Patriarchy is the seemingly ubiquitous system of sexbased oppression that is incorporated throughout society. It refers to the power differential between men and women in society that allows men to dominate and control women. It is not the unanticipated consequence of capitalism or some other social arrangement but rather a purposeful system held in place by those who are reaping the benefits of its unjust systematic abuse of women.

Several types of feminism have grappled with the issue of patriarchy. Psychoanalytic feminists believe that all men everywhere are responsible for enforcing patriarchy in their daily lives and that women do little to challenge them. This branch of feminism offers two reasons for the dilemma. First, they posit that men strive to maintain the system because they ...