The Paleoconservative Perspective: The Patriarchy
22 May 2024
By Dr Adi Schlebusch
Introduction
In this final installment of this series on Paleoconservatism, we turn our attention to the vital topic of the patriarchy. Throughout this series, I have sought to provide a brief overview of the Paleoconservative perspective on various pertinent socio-political, socio-cultural, and socio-economic issues facing our civilization today. I purposefully chose the Paleoconservative label as I believe this serves as an ideal umbrella term to include Christian Nationalists, Hoppean Paleo-Libertarians, Federalists and Theonomist Kinists under one category. In the first three installments I have explored foundational issues such as demographics, the family, and egalitarianism, and explained how each is underscored by the Paleoconservative commitment to tradition, social order, and cultural continuity. This concluding article will delve into the principle of patriarchy, examining its role as a cornerstone of societal structure and stability.
The Patriarchy: A Pillar of Civilisation
For Paleoconservatives, the patriarchy is not merely a social construct but a divinely ordained and naturally arising institution that underpins societal harmony and prosperity. Rooted in creational ordinances and historical precedent, the patriarchy serves as the bedrock upon which families and, by extension, nations are built. Male headship within the family is not only essential for maintaining peace, structure, and order, but especially for ensuring the welfare of all family members. The destructive social consequences of liberalism’s and feminism’s onslaught on the patriarchy, such as single-parent homes, rising depression, atomization, sexual immorality and abortion, as well as the dire economic consequences, is well documented.
The Moral Foundation of Patriarchy
The Paleoconservative perspective on patriarchy draws heavily from the Bible as sacred text providing clear directives regarding the roles of men and women within the family and society. Texts such as Ephesians 5:22-33 and Colossians 3:18-19 delineate the responsibilities of husbands to lead and love their wives and of wives to respect and submit to their husbands. These distinct roles are essential to maintaining healthy families where each member fulfils their unique function within the family unit.
Furthermore, the patriarchy is confirmed by good historical precedent as manifested in common law. Patriarchal structures have historically been central to the development and stability of civilizations. From ancient Greece and Rome to Christendom, the patriarchy has been absolutely essential to maintaining social cohesion and political resilience. The patriarchal family model is one where authority and responsibility are clearly delineated, providing a stable environment for rearing children and perpetuating cultural and moral values intergenerationally.
The Attack on Patriarchy
By virtue of the rise of ideologies such as Liberalism and Marxism, the concept of patriarchy has come under sustained attack from various fronts. Feminism, in particular, has sought to dismantle traditional roles of men and women by promoting a distorted egalitarian vision that is fundamentally at odds with the order of nature. The feminist critique of patriarchy as inherently oppressive fails to acknowledge the protective and providential aspects of male headship and promotes a homogenizing agenda that undermines healthy family structures as well as socio-economic stability.
Patriarchy and Social Order
The maintream adoption of feminist narratives which has led to the rejection of the patriarchy has led to the erosion of family bonds and increased social fragmentation. Without the guiding and stabilizing influence of a patriarchal family structure, societies become more susceptible to government tyranny as citizens are atomized from the most basic unit of the social order.
The Scottish Reformer John Knox (1514-1572) articulated some of the political implications of the Biblical view of patriarchy in his famous work, The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women. Knox argued against female sovereigns, asserting that leadership should align with the order of creation as sanctioned by God—male dominion. Societal arrangements where leadership and decision-making are predominantly male responsibilities not only leverages historical continuity and stability, but ensures a healthy social fabric, leading to greater efficiency in governance functioning in harmony with a family-based social order.
The modernist dissolution of patriarchal norms has effectuated moral and cultural decay and gave rise to hedonistic attitudes. This amplifies how destructive it has been that the church became almost explicitly anti-male in its view of sin and society. It has largely, albeit implicitly, came to see women as naturally good and men as naturally evil and the source of most problems in the world. Paleoconservatives advocate loving men as men, and having the courage to speak the truth in this area that the church has heretofore lacked.
The Role of Women in a Patriarchal Society
The Paleoconservative advocacy for patriarchy does not imply the denigration of women. On the contrary, women are highly valued and respected within this framework for their unique and indispensable roles. The traditional role of women as nurturers and homemakers is esteemed as vital to the well-being of the family and the broader community. Recognizing the God-given distinction between the sexes as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each serves to enrich family life, allowing each member of the family to flourish in accordance with their God-given capacities.
Conclusion
Reaffirming patriarchal values is absolutely essential to building the New Christendom which would require a return to traditional family structures and societal norms. This would entail encouraging young men, promoting the role of fathers and encouraging the cultural celebration of traditional gender roles through education and the media. Older men have a vital role to play in this regard and need to be aware that there is a battle raging for the hearts of young men, and offering encouragement can go a long way to providing young men with the necessary energy to cultivate true masculine virtues and rebuild civilization with the spirit of Nehemiah. Churches will also have to play a pivotal role in this cultural renewal, providing guidance and support to young men striving to live out their calling as patriarchs.
The Paleoconservative perspective on the patriarchy entails a call to return to a social order that honours the wisdom of the past and adheres to divinely instituted roles within the family and society. By embracing the patriarchy we can restore social harmony, strengthen family bonds, and ensure the cultural continuity that is essential for the flourishing of Western civilization. As we conclude this series, it is clear that the principles of tradition, order, and reverence for the created order remain central to the Paleoconservative vision for a thriving society.