Letters to the Editor
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Measuring Patriarchy
How To Measure Patriarchy
1. Look at a picture of Congress. How many men do you see? How many women? Establish a ratio. This will serve as a measure of patriarchy.
2. Alternatively, compile a list of CEOs and boards of directors. Count the number of men, then count the number of women. Establish a ratio. This will serve as a measure of patriarchy.
3. Alternatively, examine other institutions of power and authority (such as law enforcement or the military). Obtain the numbers of men and women in positions of authority within those institutions. Establish a ration. This will serve as a measure of patriarchy.
4. Once you have established and accepted a methodology for obtaining a measure of patriarchy, perform similar analysis at various points in history. Chart the changes in the measurement. The resulting graph will provide a somewhat accurate measure of the rise and decline of patriarchy throughout history.