Synopsis
Lerner argues that male dominance is not natural but a historical institution that arose in the ancient Near East and was built into law, religion, and the state.
Core passage idea
Paraphrase · Modern copyrighted workPatriarchy has a beginning in history, which means it was made by human societies over time and can therefore be unmade.
By historicizing male dominance it denies patriarchy any claim to being timeless or biologically inevitable.
To avoid a bubble
Pair with Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract.
Reading note
Read it as historical reconstruction of the ancient world, attentive to how property, slavery, and gender intertwined.
Best paired with
Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract