The Birth of a Patriarchy: The Männerbünde [podcast #65]

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In this episode of my podcast, I spoke about how patriarchies may develop from matriarchies. My theory goes as follows: In societies ruled by women, meaning societies in which women control the wealth and food, most men must live by women’s rules in hopes of being fed. A majority of men in matriarchy may find they have no purpose. There is nothing to do for them. But in certain conditions, such ‘discarded’ men may find a way out, for example, with pastoralism. I believe that the men of the Eurasian steppe lands, such as our Yamnaya ancestors, learned they could milk horses and live off churned butter and yogurt, and occasional meat harvests. By chasing and controlling herds of livestock, the men became independent from women’s agricultural societies. By choosing freedom from women, these men also discovered equality. The men learned that they could be allies, and relative equals, even if in a male hierarchy. These bands of men became the feared ‘Männerbünde’ that would conquer North-Western India and Europe as the Aryan invaders who would also become their conquered societies’ ruling classes.