The Domination-Partnership Systems Continuum
No system is a pure partnership or domination system. It is always a matter of degree, of where it is situated on the domination-partnership continuum. ~ Riane Eisler, The Power of Partnership: Seven Relationships That Will Change Your Life (2002)
There are two fundamental ways of organizing beliefs and institutions: the partnership system and the domination system. The degree to which a society or organization orients to the domination or partnership side of the partnership-domination continuum profoundly affects how we relate to ourselves, one another, and nature. To better understand the partnership-domination continuum, check out these resources:
- the Organizational Benefits of Partnership Systems
- the Comparison Chart describes components of the partnership-domination continuum
- the Myths About Partnership chart will help you better understand partnership
Watch this 2 minute video to hear Riane Eisler speak about the domination system.
Comparison Chart
|
Component |
Domination System |
Partnership System |
|---|---|---|
|
Structure |
Authoritarian and inequitable social and economic structure of rigid hierarchies of domination in both family and state. |
Democratic and economically equitable structure of linking and hierarchies of actualization in both family and state. |
|
Relations |
High degree of fear, abuse, and violence, ranging from child and wife beating to other forms of abuse by “superiors” in families, workplaces, and society. Children grow up in punitive, authoritarian, male-dominated families where they observe and experience inequality as the accepted norm. |
Mutual respect and trust with a low degree of fear, abuse, and violence because they are not required to maintain rigid rankings of domination. Children grow up in families where parenting is authoritative rather than authoritarian and adult relations are egalitarian. |
|
Gender
|
Ranking of the male half of humanity over female half, as well as rigid gender stereotypes, with traits and activities viewed as masculine, such as "toughness" and conquest, ranked over those viewed as feminine, such as "softness" and caregiving. |
Equal valuing of the male and female halves of humanity, as well as fluid gender roles with a high valuing of empathy, caring, caregiving, and nonviolence in both women and men, as well as in social and economic policy. |
|
Beliefs |
Beliefs and stories justify and idealize domination and violence, which are presented as inevitable, moral, and desirable. |
Beliefs and stories recognize give high value to empathic, mutually beneficial, and caring relations, which are considered moral and desirable. |
*Note that no system is a pure parnterhsip or domination system. It is always a matter of degree, depending onw here it is situation on the partnership/domination continuum.
Myths About Partnership
One overarching myth is that partnership is just another term for working together or collaboration. The reality is that:
- a partnership system refers to much more than collaboration
- collaboration is possible in both the partnership and domination systems, but is patterned differently
|
Myth |
Domination System |
Partnership System |
|
It will all be cooperation |
In-group versus out-group cooperation |
Trust and reciprocity-based cooperation |
|
There won't be any competition |
Fear and attack driven competition |
Achievement driven competition |
|
There won't be any conflict |
Conflict callously used to win at all costs |
Conflict creatively used to arrive at solutions |
|
There is no leader or manager |
Leadership based on power over: man who gives orders to subordinates that must be unquestioningly obeyed |
Leadership based on power to (woman or man who nurtures and supports productivity and creativity) AND/OR power with (encourages and participates in teamwork) |
|
There is no hierarchy |
Hierarchies of domination: rigid pecking orders maintained by fear and disempowerment of others |
Hierarchies of actualization: fluid hierarchies that empower others for optimal functioning |
|
The battle of the sexes is inevitable — if it isn't patriarchy, it's matriarchy, and the women will take over. |
Myth reflects false domination assumptions |
Women and men are partners. |
|
Our guiding values and organizational structures have nothing to do with gender — that's just a “women's issue.” |
Myth reflects false domination assumptions. |
The social construction and valuation of gender appropriate for the domination model form an unconscious system of valuations that affects organizational structure and culture. |
Organizational Benefits of Partnership Systems
- Employees feel valued and empowered to contribute and participate.
- Conflict can be used creatively to explore alternatives and challenge the status quo.
- Creativity is nurtured through safety for risk-taking, less fear of making mistakes, and permission to be inquisitive and explore.
- Communication is free to flow in all directions.
- The workplace is family friendly, creating a synergistic sense of community.
- Synergistic belonging extends to the planet, creating the social and environmental consciousness needed for long-range planning, sustainability, and success.
The Power of Partnership: Seven Relationships That Will Change Your Life (2002), by Riane Eisler, New World Library
