Most people conceptualise patriarchy as manifesting itself through the actions of individual men or women by their discriminatory words or activities. Feminist scholars have long argued against this view, and identified systemic manifestations of sexism and patriarchy within our social, economic and political structures, which disadvantage women but do not look like overt sexism. Other feminist and anarchist scholars have also argued that the patriarchal logic of dominance and subordination extends much further.
Patriarchal politics views the world as though it needs to be conquered and dominated, just like the patriarchal lens in social life has long viewed women through the logic of control and subordination. The most cruel example of this phenomenon is how humans have treated Mother Earth for centuries – exploiting its resources without replenishing or nurturing it. In the patriarchal structure, the “mother” figure is celebrated because she is all-enduring—following the orders of her husband or her children without any complaint. In the same vein, Mother Earth is also celebrated because she tolerates everything done to her without any complaint. The Bengali word “Shorbongshoha” (All-Tolerating) is used to describe both the literal mother and Mother Earth.
But the lens is not limited to the environment. This logic of domination and subjugation is ever-present in the state structures. The patriarchal state also observes its citizens through the language of control— by restricting their freedom through different measures. The justification is given that they are less rational and incompetent to be left on their own and given rights, much like how women were deprived of their rightful liberties. If inter-state relations are considered, the attitude of stronger imperialist nations towards their neighbours is all the same – the smaller state itself is treated as though it needs to be conquered by the stronger state. It is no coincidence that fascist states promote the ‘strong father’ figure as the savior of the nation and celebrate paternal values. The tendency to objectify and thereby deny the agency of subjects is ever-present in the thread connecting patriarchy, colonialism, and imperial aggression.
To counter this worldview, feminists like Heide Goettner-Abendroth have instead argued for matriarchal politics. To borrow her words, “Matriarchies are mother-centred societies; they are based on maternal values: care-taking, nurturing, motherliness,
mutual support, peace building by negotiation etc., which holds for everybody: for mothers and those who are not mothers, for women and men alike.” From the definition it is clear what matriarchal politics aims to achieve—it attempts to incorporate the true maternal values in our social structure and build an ethic based on care. This reversal of patriarchal logic has important implications for our society.
To clear the misconception upfront: matriarchy and matriarchal politics are not equivalent. Matriarchy is a system of hierarchy, a system in which the lineage of a person is traced through their mother and the property rights are distributed accordingly. Matriarchal politics, however, is a conception of politics that serves as an antidote to the patriarchal nature of politics in our contemporary world.
This replaces the patriarchal logic of domination with the matriarchal logic of nurture. The earth and all its inhabitants become an entity humans have to care for and protect, just like mothers protect their children. They are treated as part of a family who deserve to be nurtured, rather than conquered and won.
This has been the motto of ecofeminism for decades–the only way to solve the climate crisis and save biodiversity on Earth is to stop glorifying humanity’s victory over nature and create a system where nature and humankind live in harmony. Matriarchal politics extends this insight into our day-to-day relations as well. It prioritises community and mutual support over control, and as a result, gradually challenges the hierarchies of sexism and racism that have dominated all over the world.
If mutual co-operation between citizens and states becomes the norm, it will drastically reduce wars and conflicts that plague our nations as well. War and violence stem essentially from the idea of the right to pillage and plunder. But without that outlook, wars become obsolete. If humanity is treated as a single family where the duty of those family members is to look after one another, co-operation is the only way forward. To address global problems that affect us such as hunger, poverty and most importantly climate change – matriarchal politics can show us a solution.
In a world where patriarchal norms have been deeply rooted, imagining a new future with matriarchal values will be difficult, but needed. Isolation, depression and suicide rates are increasing rapidly worldwide, and if their root cause is not addressed, we will only be treating the symptoms rather than solving the problem. Communities, care, and mutual support are essential. We must accept that a hyperfixation on control and domination ultimately backfires and harms us in the long run. This is why matriarchal politics focuses on nurture.
Motherhood has long been associated with healing. A mother’s heart does not differentiate between her own children and others, treating everyone with equal dignity and respect. That universal respect must be replicated in our society if we are to close the gaps that divide us, and heal a world riddled with endless wars, conflicts, and violence.
