A society where men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
Many ancient civilizations were patriarchal societies.
In a patriarchal society, lineage is often passed down through the father.
家父長制 specifically refers to a patriarchal family system or patriarchy as a social system, often with a focus on the family unit, while 父権社会 is a broader term for a society dominated by men.
母権社会 is the antonym, meaning 'matriarchal society', where women hold primary power.
Compound of 父権 (paternal authority) and 社会 (society). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is a modern coinage corresponding to the English 'patriarchal society'.