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".

Contents

• 1 Example
• 2 Gender bias
• 3 Gynecocracy
• 4 See also
• 5 References

Example

In modern societies, most governments are ruled by men. With the rise of feminism 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.