Do you believe men in western societies pose any risk of reverting to extreme patriarchy (eg Iran ‘79)? More generally, do protections for women ultimately exist at the mercy of men?

The complete subjugation of women in Afghanistan may have started as a Taliban mandate, but was tacitly approved by the men of the country at large. We saw the rapid, comprehensive regression start playing out the moment a new government took power. Like in Iran, it couldn’t have been implemented without active participation and enforcement from men as a whole. Do you think the men of a liberal democracy, perhaps, might be enticed to support a fascist coup if promised similar control over women?

I vaguely remember a more elegant characterization, but I’m referring to the idea of constant potential for violence or oppression, which benefits men even if they’re totally unaware. Eg a woman that is exceedingly polite or accommodating if isolated with an intimidating man.

Men now hypothetically pressure women to be nicer under threat of continued support for harmful politics. Are men essentially acknowledging that women will always face the same old structural disadvantage that made patriarchy common through history? How do you think about the game theory of “playing ball” vs refusing to be coerced?