Re: What Matriarchy? (was Drugs etc.)
Lowell Morrison (lowell@troy.la.platsol.com)
19 Jul 1996 18:59:30 -0700
In one of Uncle Wolf's Last posts from Platsol
In article <31EE742A.5306@ix.netcom.com>, <Sisial@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>Matri- from the Latin mater (mother).
>-arch from Latin arches (ruler)
>
>Matriarchy has been defined as any social system which utilizes
>matrilineal decent.
You might want to recheck your dictionary, as the name suggests
Matriarchal IS where Women Rule, Matrilineal Descent is seen
among such tribes as the Hopi who are Patriarchal, the Uncle Rules
<Grin> the Family, and the Father is sort of a nescessary evil.
>I do not think this use of the word has any real
>value in examining social organization. Matrilineal decent is only one
>aspect in the regulation of decent. And, the regulation of decent is
>only one aspect of social organization.
>
Problem is that you have the word Misdefined, and thus come to som
Some Incorrect Conclusions. Who decends from who is indeed one
asect of a social orginization, who Rules IS another measure.
We have societies (Such as the Hopi) that are Patriarchal, Matrilineal,
And Matrilocal... In other words, Men Rule, trace their decent through
the female line, and live with their wifes family....
In America we are Mostly Patrilineal, AvunciLocal, and about 3/4th
Patriarchal, with some families being Matriarchal, other Avunciarchal...
>The adaptive value of matrilineal decent is to maintain female
>solidarity. Matrilineal decent is found in societies where female
>solidarity plays a greater role than male solidarity. Female and male
>solidarity are built around areas of common responsibilities and
>interests.
>
Mmmm, Sorry, you need to retake your classes in Anthropology...
And thank you for playing...
>Example:
>Among the Ashanti, female solidarity is built around horticultural
>activities, where most of the work is done by women. Male solidarity is
>built around periodic defense and offense. Thus, female solidarity plays
>a greater role in the day-to-day affairs of the Ashanti. Female
>solidarity is maintained through a system of matrilineal decent.
>
Ah, Who Rules the Roost, that is the question, solidarity is done
by the "Moiety" system, and is irrleivent to the "archal" part.
>The common use of the term matriarchy in examining social organization
>is as a reference to matriarchates, in which the dominant authority is
>held by women. Political systems develop around the need to maintain
>internal societal order and to regulate intersocietal relations.
>
Right, no male or female descent required in this use of word, only
who rules the roost....
>Among the Ashanti this would fall into the category of male solidarity.
>Actually, I can find no ethnographical, historical, or archeological
>evidence of any matriarchial society. Most of what I find is speculation
>by 19th century anthropologists on how such a system might function. To
>be honest, although it may not be PC, I believe female solidarity is
>prevented from developing around offense and defense because of
>physiological factors.
>
The Key words is "how such a system might work", since there never was
such a system, they, mmmm, did a lot of arm waving and guessing....
Since there never was such a system, your argument falls into the
trash heap cause you seem to want to equate lineage with Ruling....
--Uncle Wolf
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