Influence of Patriarchy in Contemporary Australian Families - Essay Example

Your name School affiliation Date Patriarchy as a major influence in the contemporary Australian families. Introduction. Patriarchy is a social system of life where the men are the dominant in the family chain of authority. In this system, fathers occupy a primary duty in decision-making process while mother and children occupy subordinate positions in the hierarchy. This system does not only restrict to family level but also extends to the society where the males are conventionally charged with the responsibilities of occupying key and central positions in political, leadership and levels of moral authority. This institution therefore implies that irrespective of similarity in and equal educational standards, men would still be deemed the entitled occupants of higher societal positions than their female counterparts (Charles, 2010). In a study of Patriarchy, this paper will highlight the historical and cultural bedrocks that formed the system, the effects of patriarchy in the modern setup and the existence of patriarchy in a typical Australian family. In response to the current outburst of feminist movements, the paper would like wisely examine different relevant theories that pertain to patriarchy and the effects of the feminist movements to this conventional social way of life (Hunnicutt, 2009). Historical aspect of Patriarchy Studies of early man’s ways of life through archeological evidences suggest that the earliest human beings practice an equalitarian system of social life. In this system, everyone in the society was considered equal. The decision-making process in this kind of lifestyle was based on consensus that encouraged brainstorming in the society with both males and females entitled to the same opportunities in the decision-making process. Equalitarian system remained the dominant societal way of life until the late Pleistocene age when there was a technological development characterized with the beginning of agriculture and animal husbandry (Farrelly, 2011). The beginning of animal and crop domestication was triggered by a change in climatic conditions resulting to a wide spread of famine and hunger especially in the plains of Africa and Asia. This, therefore, resulted to competition for food among different social groups of man, thus leading the development of early warfare. The development of war necessitated war strategies that demanded the position of the central figure of the organization. This was, therefore, the earliest basis for the development of Patriarchy in a man’s was of social life. With wars and migrations that extended to the early 19th century necessitated better organization of social networking, thereby a natural concept of male and female roles curved themselves out(Hunnicutt, 2009) These roles were curved out as a natural revelation mechanism determined that women were physical and intellectually inferior in organization and planning as pertaining to wars. According to Gerda Lerner, she claims that the aspect of patriarchy has been passed on from one generation to the other through the act of observation of family roles and the existence of centers of power that the children emulate (Gardiner, 2007). Patriarchy in the modern Australian families. Despite the presence of feminism movements and the existence of advocacy for the rights of women, studies have found a profound evidence of the existence of the institution of Patriarchy in the modern Australian familial set ups. This system is characterized by husbands making major decisions on behalf of the family and the mothers and children being the followers of the made decisions. The law making institutes thereby have determined the existence of this system hence came up with marital and social laws that are geared towards the protection of female who are dominated in their families (Sewell, Jr., 2009). However, there has been a general argument in the modern Australian concept of the presence of a fading Patriarchy system. This is because of woman's empowerment and advocacy of woman's rights and gender equality. Most family women resultantly become single mothers while others due to better-economic powers they posses than their husbands resultantly takes the role of command of the family. The weakening of Patriarchy has at the same time been facilitated by political movements rooting for the elevation of the worth of women in the family (Gardiner, 2007). Patriarchy in Australian families. Patriarchy as a social concept is learned and passed on for generations has remained a major influence on the Australian families. The descendants of families see this social system as right and acceptable way of life where the system has been in practice. In essence, during the developmental stages of children in this kind of a setup, they are brought up with full knowledge of their impending adulthood roles. Boys are brought up with conditionings of being in control and the family expects the male children to grow up and exert dominance over their spouses, being the provider and the protector, thereby serving as the central role of authority. Girls are also expected to be submissive, less aggressive and to be of serve to the family that initially offers the training ground for this role and in her adulthood to her husband. In most cases, the presence of patriarchy among the Australian families is witnessed in the manner of settlement. In most of Australian families, the married couple moves to stay in the male’s household. The female would in most cases abandon her premarital home and thereby accepts to live in a new home that has been a traditional residence of the male. This is a proof that the woman has accepted to comply with the conditions of the new home. The compliance to the terms of the male thereby gives the man a central role of authority and command with women being the assistant figure (Parker & Reckdenwald, 2008). The division of the economic role among the Australian families is yet another indication of the existence of patriarchy. The males have been found to be economically responsible and answerable to the welfare of the family. In most lawsuits of parental neglect in the Australian setting, most fathers as compared to mothers have been brought to trial for failure of providing to their children the fundamental economic rights. In a case, that a child has both parents and the father is held responsible for negligence with the mother perceived non-answerable. This is an indication that the general Australian society has concluded that in the presence of both parents; there must be an existence of a central figure of authority. Theories defining patriarchy Feminist theory as a social theory defines patriarchy as an unjust system of social coexistence, which only serves to offer oppression to women. Pateman Carole, who is a feminist theorist, defines patriarchy as a construction that is utilized by masculinity to subject femininity. Feminist theory thereby offers a conclusion that patriarchy can be overhauled through a critical examination of its manifestoes to determine if there is value, the concept adds to the family especially in the modern set up (Grosz, 2010). From the modern Jungian theory, the Jungian psychological determination of patriarchy defines is as an expression of a dwarfed and immature form of expression of masculinity. The theory states that the act does not conform to the current state of affairs and is unrealistic in the modern context. The theory thereby asserts that the existence of patriarchy as a social way of life is an assault of femininity in its fullest and a drawback to masculinity (Wyatt, Goodwyn, & Ignatowski, 2011). Psychoanalytic theory defines patriarchy as a word that is loosely used to infer to male dominance. Basing on this theory, the word patriarchy does not only refer to the exertion of male power over women; nevertheless, this power is exercised more complexly in relation to age and gender. This, therefore, means that older men exercise power over both females and younger men, while, at the same time, older women exert power over younger men and women. It, therefore, insinuates that the power is but a system of control that everyone is under. In this context, even the father is under stricture. Psychoanalytical theory disqualifies the oppressive nature that patriarchy is thought to offer. The theory views patriarchy as an inherent social way of life that offers survival in a family with the distinction of roles of individuals (Hunnicutt, 2009). Effects of patriarch on a family life. According to Abeda sultan, patriarchy is the prime obstacle to woman's progression and development. In his inference, despite the nature of domination, the ultimate result of patriarchy is universal with the intention of making men in control. Patriarchy system gives men complete dominance, which ultimately results to undermining some of the most-fundamental rights of women. In the contemporary Australian setup, the country in terms of political, global market and international trade, it is structured in a manner that men are the primary beneficiaries of the system (Hunnicutt, 2009). The male domination of political and economic setup in the society as a whole extends to the family. In this instance, women suffer family economic disadvantages. Money is mostly in the hands of men with studies revealing that averagely, Australian women earn half the total income of men. In most instances, patriarchy has forced women to become victims of poor economic decisions that are made by men as they lack the same authority and voice for own economic determination (FionnualaNíAoláin, 2009). In the current patriarchy in Australian households, women are seen as housewives and hold less than 50% of the public and private labor force offered in the country. The occupation of a smaller percentage of women into labor force insinuates that the average earning of these women becomes less. The circle of events leading to patriarchy ultimately progresses, and women are denied the basic decision-making concepts even concerning their health. Among the Australian families, women rarely makes decisions that concern them. In this nature, men make decisions including the methods of family planning and they effect of their wives (Gardiner, 2007). According to (Sotirois, 2002) despite radicalism in changes that affect the foundation of marital power, there is still a high belief in domestic patriarchy. This is witnessed through the acts of domestic violence females most often fall victims. Sotirois suggests that this problem can only be solved if the powers of males are eliminated in the society. Conclusion. Patriarchy as a social way of life was in its formation process was devised as a mechanism of compensation for inadequacies of roles for the opposite genders. Resultantly, the system gave more role and dominance to males because of certain advantages they had over females. Nevertheless, exercising the system does not negate the fact that women equally have a valuable input in the family. Appropriate ground work must be conducted to ensure that the vices of patriarchy are eliminated. References Charles, I. (2010). Women’s land rights and the challenge of patriachy: Cambridge publications Farrelly, C. (2011). Patriarchy and historical materialism. Hypatia, 26, 1–21. Fionnuala N (2009). Women, Human Rights Quarterly Amazon Publishers. Gardiner, A. B. (2007). Feminist Literary Criticism: From Anti-Patriarchy to Decadence. Modern Age, 49, 393–399. Grosz, E. (2010). The Practice of Feminist Theory. Differences. Hunnicutt, G. (2009). Varieties of patriarchy and violence against women. Violence against Women, 15, 553–573. Parker, K. F., & Reckdenwald, A. (2008). Women and Crime in Context: Examining the Linkages Between Patriarchy and Female Offending Across Space. Feminist Criminology. Sewell, Jr., W. H. (2009). :The Familial State. American Journal of Sociology. Wyatt, R., Goodwyn, E., & Ignatowski, M. (2011). A Jungian approach to dreams reported by soldiers in a modern combat zone. Journal of Analytical Psychology, 56, 217–231.  Read More