Male Friendship and Fraternity. An historical approach to the origins of Modernity

Abstract

Male Friendship and Fraternity. An historical approach to the origins of Modernity

Friendship among men is one of the backbones of fraternity and male domination. It is a “gentlemen’s agreement” that maintains a whole system of domination, power relationships and fraternal support regarding patriarchal acts of violence. Taking this into account, this article proposes to investigate the historical origins of this particular kind of friendship, focusing specifically on the dawn of modernity in the eighteenth century. In order to achieve this goal, the author analyses the morality and education that young men received during this period regarding affective bonds and emotions, which are key elements which help us to understanding the modern fraternal system.