The word describing what you're talking about is plutarchy, not patriarchy. A plutarchy is a system of the well heeled and connected, maintained for the well he

The word describing what you're talking about is plutarchy, not patriarchy. A plutarchy is a system of the well heeled and connected, maintained for the well heeled and connected, everyone else be damned. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutocracy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plutocracy Patriarchy is grounded in the gendered axis, skewed toward elder men. Sic, patriarchs. One of men in general, regardless of age would likely be an andro-archy or some such. You're correct in that the Western world is highly plutocratic. That is the inevitable outcome of power laws in economics, combined with wholly private ownership of the means of production without a sufficiently strong regulatory apparatus capable of thwarting the natural tendency of humankind to conspire to improve their lot at other's expense. Just letting you know that using the right word can help you hone in on what you're trying to say. Vocab is worth investing in! Names have power!