1. Origins of Patriarchy: Material Basis of Patriarchy
Rubina Saigol

2. What is Patriarchy?
Division of the world into mutually exclusive categories of MEN and WOMEN
Hierarchization of one category MEN over WOMEN
Control of senior males over both women and younger males
Male control over economic, social and political resources

3. Has Patriarchy Always Existed
Some believe patriarchy has always existed and will never change
Some believe that it is natural and universal
Others believe that patriarchy is manmade and has not always existed
It had a beginning and therefore will end, it is historical and social

4. Traditionalist View of Patriarchy
Traditionalists believe that patriarchy is biologically determined and is the best system
Women’s subordination is universal, God-given, natural and therefore immutable
It posits that the “division of labor” is based on primary biological difference and social roles and tasks should be based on this difference
It assumes men to be breadwinners and women to be mothers

5. Critique of Traditionalist Theory
Theories that consider men to be naturally superior and main providers have been challenged
Research done on hunting/gathering societies shows that women participated in hunting
Agriculture, women’s occupation, was the main source of provision
Women’s gathering activities were also central in ensuring livelihood
There are vast differences found in men and women’s relative value in different societies so the division is not ‘natural’

6. Religious and Psudo-scientific Traditionalism Challenged
The idea that man was created prior to and superior to woman is relegated to myth
The idea that since women bear children and menstruate they are inferior has been overthrown
The ideas that men are active, rational, strong, objective and women are passive, emotional, weak and subjective stand challenged
Modern psychology that posited ‘anatomy is destiny’ stands discredited
No historical or scientific evidence of male supremacy as natural found

7. Questions about patriarchy
How did patriarchy begin?
Why did it begin?
Was it preceded by matriarchy?
How were different roles and values assigned to men and women?
When did subordination begin?
There is no single answer or explanation but without understanding the origin and history of patriarchy it is hard to know how or what needs to be changed.

8. Engels’ Explanation of Patriarchy
“Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State”.
Women’s subordination began with the origin of private property
It led to “the world historical defeat of the female sex”
Division of classes and subordination of women developed simultaneously
Three periods, Savagery, Barbarism and Civilization

9. Position of Women in Savagery and Barbarism
In Savagery human beings lived almost like animals, gathered food and hunted; ancestry was through the mother and there was no marriage or notion of private property
In Barbarism, hunting and gathering continued but gradually agriculture and animal husbandry developed; men moved further afield and women stayed back to mind the children and look after the homestead; a sexual division of labor developed but women had power

10. Women’s Position in Civilization
Domestication of animals and principle of impregnation
They developed bigger and better weapons for hunting which were also used in inter-group fights between clans
Slavery developed and groups started acquiring animals, land and slaves through wars, especially female slaves
“All this led to the formation of private property. Men wanted to retain power and property, and pass it on to their own children. To ensure this inheritance, mother-right was overthrown.”
In order to establish Father-right, women had to be domesticated and confined and their sexuality regulated and controlled.
In this period and for these reasons both patriarchy and monogamy for women established

11. Civilization: Economic Development and Women’s Subordination
Surplus was now produced and controlled by men
Women became economically dependent on men
Modern civilization was based on restricting women to the home to produce heirs for private property
Sexual double standards in marriage, monogamy for women and polygamy for men
Women’s household labor became private service, they became head-servants
Women became excluded from production/public-private divide

12. Frederich Engels
“The overthrow of the mother right was the world historical defeat of the female sex. The man took command in the home also; the woman was degraded and reduced to servitude; she became the slave of his lust and a mere instrument for the production of children.”

13. Modern Patriarchies Patriarchies are universal-national/imperial l
Patriarchies are culturally articulated
Patriarchies enter into all social/state institutions
Patriarchies enter all socio-economic systems
Patriarchies are historical and changeable