Why hasn't America had a female president?

Question

Why aren't we as progressive as other countries in terms of who we elect to the highest office? Women don't even run here. I know, of course, Hillary is bucking this trend, but it's a little late, isn't it? Is our country's structure more patriarchal than other first world countries like England and Germany? Most western European countries have had a female as their most powerful leader. We haven't. Why?

Answer 1

We were a country built on white, patriarchal puritan values. This means extreme conservatism and resistance to ideas that fall outside of the scope of the bible and the power structure it provides. Because of this we have taken longer than other 1st world western countries to accept progressive ideas.

Look at how long it took to give women the vote, look at our resistance to gay marriage. These resistances exist because religious people look to the bible to preserve their power. So, because the bible implicitly subjugates women and much of what this country has based it's decisions on comes from the bible, we have resisted women being in power.

But because, just like other 1st world western countries, we are slowly rejecting the influence of these values, we allow ourselves to work in a less restrictive framework. Therefore we allow women to run for office, but societally we still must overcome generations of influence that tells us that women cannot lead before we will elect one.

I am confident that like many other social issues we will eventually get to the point of equality. We tend to be about 50 years behind western Europe on social issues, so we are due for a female leader soon and hopefully it will happen. The day it does it will show that we can escape a history rooted in a philosophy that many of us do not subscribe to, because women are just as capable leaders as men.

Answer 2

Our country generally requires vast financial resources to make a run. That means either being rich or being able to convince donors who are rich that you have a shot. That may be a factor.

EDIT

It should also be noted that, in a Parliamentary system such as in the UK, one can become Prime minister by building coalitions with other Ministers. The PARTY (or a coalition of parties) has to win nationally, but the individual Minister only needs the support of the party.

The American Presidency is a completely separate office. That creates a different dynamic.

EDIT

A bit of trivia. In the 1970s, Doctor Who was one of the most widely viewed television series in the UK. The stories taking place on Earth were meant to take place in the "near future" (possibly the 80s). The character Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (an old-fashioned, chauvinistic, "man's man" if there ever was one) has "the PM" on the phone. The actor Nicholas Courtney (playing the Brigadier) decided to ad-lib and said "Yes, Ma'am".

Was this foresight? Was it symptomatic of a more widespread British attitude? Or could Courtney even have influenced people, with that one small decision, to entertain an idea they might not have considered before?

After all, this was the Brigadier, shoot first and ask questions later, if you see an alien, don't try to understand it: BLOW IT UP! And he was quite willing to take orders from a woman!

Interesting.

Answer 3

I agree, America needs a good president. And when President Bush's term is up, we'll get another good president. Fred Thompson!

Answer 4

I don't believe it has anything to do with a patriarchal system or at least not that much. It has more to do with the fact that, as another poster said, we have a large number of conservatives in our country. Put that together with the fact that women tend to be more liberal and you might find the reason why there haven't been any female presidents: conservatives just don't vote for them because they don't represent conservatives ideologically. European countries tend to be more liberal in their political senses and so women might have a better chance at winning an election there. In reality it comes down to political ideology not patriarchy. It also might be due to the fact that the current woman running for President in the U.S. is definitely not a moderate. Radicals, or at least those far left or right of center, of any ideology seem to scare away voters.

Answer 5

I think because our nation was concieved as a place of unprecedented freedom (look at the European houses of power at the time) we have a peculiar reactionary bent against much more change. We have implicit, unwritten laws about who should hold office even if our constitution bars no one save a non-citizen.

Answer 6

Much as I hate the term, America still has an 'old boys' club'. Women have not had political opportunities at the highest of levels until very recently....and even now, with Hillary, there is still discussion as to whether a woman can make a good President.

We have to face facts, as enlightened as America thinks it is, they are in no way ready for a female President. We only need to look to the fact that W got elected to a second term to recognize that brains are not a long suit in the good ole USofA!!!

Answer 7

No one with the wherewithall has run.

And just because Hillary is bucking the trend AND is female, doesnt make her the best candidate. It just makes her a female candidate.

Answer 8

America is somewhat less socially enlightened than Canada (which has had a female prime minister) and many European countries.

Answer 9

Because we are presented with candidates like Hillary. We need a better selection to put one in office.

Answer 10

America also has the highest numbers of fundamentalists and conservatives of any other Western country.

Another great question: Why hasn't America had a minority president?