A form of government or society ruled by men, or the dominance of masculine authority in social structures.
From Greek 'aner' (man) + 'archia' (rule). A theoretical term used in social analysis and gender studies to describe male-dominated power structures.
While patriarchy is the standard term for male-dominated societies, andrarchy specifically emphasizes the *rule by men themselves* rather than just the system—it's a useful distinction when analyzing how masculinity itself becomes the basis for political authority.
From Greek aner (man) + archia (rule). This term describes male-dominated governance structures. The parallel term 'gynarchy' is rarely used, reflecting historical linguistic asymmetry where male authority was normalized as the default and female authority marked as exceptional.
Use only as a descriptive historical or analytical term for male-dominated systems, not as neutral terminology for governance.
["patriarchy","male-dominated governance","androcracy"]
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