Okay, a few issues. In my case, I was talking about organizational structure, not societal structure, which are two different things.
As far as an example of a matriarchal society goes, I would cite the Navajo (Dine) Nation. Its real authority lies with “the grandmothers”, who are the most respected elderly women within each of the extended families, usually around 300 people.
But they are not leaders, as such. Instead they form ad hoc areas of interest, in which those grandmothers who are interested attend. Decisions are by consensus, but are not mandatory. And yet tribal management is fairly effective. It is a very decentralized form of management.
They are not particularly troubled with irresponsible males any more than other Indian tribes.
However, there is a problem. Matriarchal organizations are unable to interface with hierarchical organizations, so the tribe created a hierarchical tribal council of men just to interface with other governments.
Another example of a functional matriarchal organization is the Rainbow Family. They use this inability to interface as a feature, not a bug. If they had “leaders”, the government would arrest them. But without leaders, the government just thrashes around and threatens them.
At the end of their event, they ask for a volunteer to drive their garbage truck, as a sacrifice to the government, because they know he will be declared a leader and arrested, possibly serving six months in jail.
In my work group, at one time we tried "decision-making-by-consensus". It finally devolved into a "dictatorship of the most obstinate" where the rest of us had to give in to one particular woman, but the group's decisions were labeled "consensus".
It has been my experience that it is harder to find a woman who is willing to make a decision and accept the consequences, than a man.
What you posted was interesting enought that I did some reading about the Navajo society. They are traditionally matrilineal, in that descent and inheritance goes by the mother's line, and children belong to the mother's tribe.
I don't see evidence that women gave orders to men, with the men being obliged to obey, which is the classic definition of matriarchal. The war chiefs were men, and the councils were men (who represented their mothers' clans). In modern day Navajo government, the council members seem to be mostly men.
However, there is a problem. Matriarchal organizations are unable to interface with hierarchical organizations, so the tribe created a hierarchical tribal council of men just to interface with other governments.
Can you supply evidence that the male council members obey the consensus of the women?