What allows patriarchy to maintain its stability and resist change? In this original and compelling book, Carol Gilligan and Naomi Snider argue that patriarchy still exists because it fulfills a certain psychological function. By demanding that we sacrifice love for hierarchical structure, patriarchy protects us from the vulnerability associated with love and becomes a shield against loss.

Exposing the nature of the highly effective psychological mechanisms underlying the patriarchal order, the authors demonstrate that politics, which often seem inexplicable to us, are driven by forces we do not consciously recognize.

This book, co-authored by an influential feminist thinker, will be of great interest to anyone concerned with our chaotic psycho-political times.