Patriarchy in feminism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Patriarchy is an important concept in feminism. Although a dictionary definition will only describe patriarchy as "father-rule", this leaves out the far-reaching social consequences of the way of thinking that underlies this social practice. Patriarchy is most likely merely a reflection of deeper expectations of male dominance in a wide range of social relationships. Many of these can be detrimental to the welfare of women. Feminism, therefore, seeks to reveal these underlying assumptions, so unjust practices can be seen clearly and changed, not simply for the benefit of women, but for the whole of society, including men and especially children.