Of man and woman

**Geoffrey S** · 08-22-2005, 11:29

It's something that's been puzzeling me lately. In pretty much all forms of civilization the male has had dominance over the female, particularly in the political sense. This has been the case from milennia ago, and is still the case today (despite somewhat forced attempts to change things). What I'm wondering is how did this come into place? Obviously women had to take care of children, but this isn't such a burden that there can be no participation in political matters. Anyone got some ideas?

**caesar44** · 08-22-2005, 11:44

Men were more powerful physically - simple as that .

**English assassin** · 08-22-2005, 14:50

Obviously women had to take care of children, but this isn't such a burden that there can be no participation in political matters.

You write this off too quickly. Remember that before the pill in the 60s women had no contraception they could use. I'm not exactly sure when reliable condoms were invented I'd guess not before 1900) and before that there was no reliable contraception full stop.

Also bear in mind that the idea that a woman could say no to sex with her husband wasn't really accepted until recently.

Put this together and I think you'll find that a lot of women spent a lot of their lives pregnant. That makes participation in political life pretty difficult. The exceptions often prove the rule I think (for example Queen Elizabeth the first, who was famously a virgin, or Catherine the Great, whose husband was at best a jaffa and who didn't remarry after his death)

Also ceasar's point can't be denied. In societies where violence is more or less a way of life (which is to say most pre-modern ones) people who are better at violence will wield more power.

**yesdachi** · 08-22-2005, 15:26

I agree with both of the pervious posts but would also remind you that you shouldn’t dismiss a woman’s “persuasive” abilities

. Influence comes form many places and a woman’s ability to offer “influence”

should not go unnoticed.

Behind every good man is a good woman!?!?

**VAE VICTUS** · 08-22-2005, 15:35

i have heard that the ancient egyptian women used a contraceptive device,not sure on the pariculars but it was something like a thick rubbery substance.its been ages since i read about it.forgive me.gonna sue my brain for non-support.

**Adrian II** · 08-22-2005, 15:49

Women in 'traditional' societies have been priests, queens and prime ministers, but those were the exception. Generally speaking men have always held most positions of power. I think it is a matter of genetics and evolutionary psychology, though not on the 'Me Tarzan, you Jane' level that most people imagine. Extremely complicated issue, since 'genetic make-up' does not equal 'fate'.