Matriarchy is a form of social organisation in which females dominate males in terms of power, authority, and decision-making within the family, community, or society as a whole. In a matriarchal system, social status and property may be inherited through the female line, and women may hold prominent roles in political, economic, and religious spheres. While purely matriarchal societies are rare in recorded history, some societies exhibit matrifocal tendencies where women play a central role in the family and household, even if formal power structures are not exclusively in their hands. The concept of matriarchy is often contrasted with patriarchy, where males hold the dominant positions of power and authority.