Androcracy
Encyclopedia
Androcracy or andrarchy is a form of government
in which the government rulers are male. This term derives from the Greek root words andros, or "man", and krateo (as in democratic), or "to rule".
since the late 19th century, opinions on these matters changed and women came to be accepted in government. Nevertheless, studies that have been conducted in Africa, Australia, and Europe continue to demonstrate a disproportionate involvement of men in government. As of 2004, women represented 15.5 percent of all parliamentarians. Nordic countries have the highest representation at close to 40 percent, while Arab states have the lowest, at near 6 percent.
Riane Eisler, in her book, The Chalice and The Blade, contrasts androcratic male dominated society with gylany, i.e., partnership society based on gender equality.
Gylany is balanced and equalitarian, and should not be confused with gynocracy or matriarchy, which define systems where women impose hierarchical power over men.
. Evidence indicating historical gynecocracies survives mostly in mythology and in some archaeological records, although it is disputed by some authors, like Cynthia Eller in her book The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory
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Through scientific excavations of ancient sites, archaeologists have recently obtained a great deal of Neolithic data for re-evaluation and reconstruction of our past, indicating neither androcracy nor gynecocracy, but rather equalitarianism, i.e., women as priestesses and heads of clans seem to have played leading roles in all aspects of life, descent appears to have been traced through the mother, therefore men were subordinate.
Form of government
A form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized. Synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government".-Empirical and conceptual problems:...
in which the government rulers are male. This term derives from the Greek root words andros, or "man", and krateo (as in democratic), or "to rule".
Example
In modern societies, most governments are ruled by men . With the rise of feminismFeminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
since the late 19th century, opinions on these matters changed and women came to be accepted in government. Nevertheless, studies that have been conducted in Africa, Australia, and Europe continue to demonstrate a disproportionate involvement of men in government. As of 2004, women represented 15.5 percent of all parliamentarians. Nordic countries have the highest representation at close to 40 percent, while Arab states have the lowest, at near 6 percent.
Riane Eisler, in her book, The Chalice and The Blade, contrasts androcratic male dominated society with gylany, i.e., partnership society based on gender equality.
Gylany is balanced and equalitarian, and should not be confused with gynocracy or matriarchy, which define systems where women impose hierarchical power over men.
Gender bias
Androcracy as a gender bias may influence the decision-making process in many countries, even if there are no concrete evidences rather feminist opinions. Kleinberg and Boris point to a dominant paradigm which promotes wage-earning fathers with financially dependent mothers, the exclusion of same-sex couples, and the marginalization of single-parent families.Gynecocracy
The opposite of androcracy is gynecocracy, sometimes referred to as gynocracy, or rule by women. It is related to but not synonymous with matriarchyMatriarchy
A matriarchy is a society in which females, especially mothers, have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority. It is also sometimes called a gynocratic or gynocentric society....
. Evidence indicating historical gynecocracies survives mostly in mythology and in some archaeological records, although it is disputed by some authors, like Cynthia Eller in her book The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory
The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory
The Myth of Matriarchal Prehistory: Why An Invented Past Will Not Give Women a Future is a book by Cynthia Eller that deconstructs the theory of a prehistoric matriarchy. This hypothesis developed in 19th century scholarship and taken up by 1970s second wave feminism following Marija Gimbutas...
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Through scientific excavations of ancient sites, archaeologists have recently obtained a great deal of Neolithic data for re-evaluation and reconstruction of our past, indicating neither androcracy nor gynecocracy, but rather equalitarianism, i.e., women as priestesses and heads of clans seem to have played leading roles in all aspects of life, descent appears to have been traced through the mother, therefore men were subordinate.