Patriarchy is best defined as

Patriarchy is best defined as

• A. Men having the authority and power in society
• B. A system in which women hold most political power
• C. A form of economic equality between genders
• D. A religious doctrine about female purity

Answer: (A)

Patriarchy describes a social system in which men hold primary authority and power across society—polities, workplaces, and families—so that men typically have greater influence and social advantage than women. This arrangement isn’t just about individual men being powerful; it’s about the structural patterns, norms, and laws that consistently privilege male authority and shape expectations about who should lead, make decisions, and control resources. The option that best captures this broad pattern—men having the authority and power in society—fits the concept of patriarchy as a system of gendered power relations. The other statements describe scenarios that don’t match patriarchy: women holding most political power would indicate the opposite system; economic equality imagines no gender-based power difference; and a religious doctrine about female purity focuses on a belief or practice rather than the prevailing structure of gender dominance.