According to the Wikipedia, the patriarchy is a broad social structure in which men dominate over women and children.

The argument is that positions of privilege and power are primarily occupied by men. There are frequently complains about the dominance of men in certain high paying occupations.

Let's for a moment assume that it is true that men occupy most positions of power. How it turned to be this way?

Historically, men ere expected to put their lives on the line to protect women and children.

In non-modern societies, men were mostly in charge of dangerous hunting (there where no antibiotics back them) and fighting activities. Some of those men would eventually become very powerful by SURVIVING several life threatening Situations, but I think it is fair to say that most men could not achieve such status and ended prematurely dead.

Along the firsf years of industrial revolution, work was indeed very dangerous. Earlier working class men where risking their lives af mines, workshops and other harsh environments. Eventually one would get very good at something and earn a lot of money, but it is cleat that most men were just fighting for their lives AND families I In working environments which were much more hazardous than modern day offices and facilities.

Eventually, a few powerful men used mechanisms such as inheritance to pass their property and influence to a few successors. But along history, the most common method men used to become powerful/successful was being extremely good at life-risking activities.

But wy would men must take such risks? Historically, in order to protect and provide to their families.

For me, the rise of privileged men, seems to be more of a consequence of a system designed to protect women and children.

How can that system be a "Patriarchy", if most men are supposed to die first?