"The" patriarchy

[BIXX]

Why do people call it "the" patriarchy rather than just patriarchy?

I don't know if this isn't serious enough for here but this has always confused me. Is it kinda like saying "the oligarchy" rather than "oligarchy"? It doesn't seem to be the case cause people use "the patriarchy" and "the oligarchy" different ("the patriarchy" refers to the structure, just like patriarchy, whereas "the oligarchy" refers to the people who compose it, and "oligarchy" describes the structure itself).

Explanations?

[Atsumari]

The word originated and is heavily used in the social sciences. I would not dwell on their use of lingo too much.

[Kingfish]

Social sciences are often funny when it comes to this kind of thing. Personally Ive always seen it as patriarchy referring to the political system in the abstract whilst the term the patriarchy being used to refer to a specific example or instance of it. This kind of reasoning can apply to you example with oligarchy as well.

[consuming negativity]

"The patriarchy" is a much easier way of saying "the institutionalized set of cultural norms and values which devalue femininity and over-value an unhealthy hyper-masculinity..." but still implies that the concept being referenced is not being used as a generalized concept (the idea of patriarchy) but is in the context of a specific institutionalization. Patriarchy does not only reference this institutionalization but can, depending on context, refer to patrilineal societies or societies in which males are valued higher than females or gender non-conforming persons.