Radical Feminism:
- They propose the destruction of patriarchal society and its transformation into a completely new form
- Liberal feminists are reformists: A term often used to describe moderate liberal feminists who wish to reform society rather than transform it. Radical feminists use the term pejoratively of liberals.
Radical feminists stress the importance of female consciousness in both their critique of patriarchy and their proposals for a new social order - Known as difference feminists: See women as different but equal or even superior to men. The difference should be accepted and even celebrated. Equality feminists seek to eliminate cultural differences between the sexes in the pursuit of quality.
Radical
Perspectives On Patriarchy:
- Kate Millett looked first to the family to aid understanding of patriarchy. In marriage, she argued women are exploited both sexually and economically. This is a common theme among radical feminists.
- She stated in her book that men oppress women in all friends, in-home, economy and in life in general. She stated it was because of the exercise of power.
- Germaine Greer stated that men hated women and women are taught to hate themselves to an inferior position.
- Firestone saw the struggle as a dialectic class struggle and the struggle relates to the traditional bondage of always being confined to the home.
- Andrea Dworkin was the most modern radical feminist against the sexual oppression of women. She stated that pornography was a man’s view of women as sex objects – she stated that to change this, women would have to become lesbians.
- She thought that patriarchy destroys any ideas of potential liberation
Radical
Responses To Patriarchy:
- The abolition of the nuclear family and its replacement by communal forms of child-rearing and living in general. This will naturally remove the male domination of the family.
- Sexual liberation is critical for many radicals. Women can be free from male-female relationships.
- Elimination of biological roles is perhaps the most radical solution of all. Firestone began the idea of androgyny, the removal of sex differences – she saw a world where women will no longer need men to reproduce
Cultural
Feminism:
- A type of feminism that accepts that women are born with diverse cultural characterises to men as well as biological differences. These characteristics are both useful to society and in some cases, superior to the male characters.
- They think that differences should be embraced rather than opposed.
- Explores the essence of women and finds that it is more caring and nurturing than the essence of men which tends to be more aggressive.
- Eco-feminists have adopted this view as the female essence is more peaceful and just.
- Cultural feminists accept that women are more likely to take up domestic roles but value them highly or even more highly than some roles played by men.
Socialist
Feminists:
- Marxist feminists look to the ideas of Friedrich Engle’s who pointed out that women were becoming a key element in the future of capitalism.
- Women have always been oppressed in terms of property, therefore, they have oppressed by property owners
- Their lack of property forced them into paid employment
- Modern Marxist feminists take a similar view but criticise Engle’s for over-stressing the importance of property as women are increasingly owning property. But they remain an exploited part of the workforce
- Less extreme socialists have rejected the idea that class is the only idea that has any meaning, they argue that class and patriarchy are sources of oppression. They tend to concentrate on the working-class women whilst liberals focus on equal chances and pay for women.
- Socialist feminists argue that only the extreme modification of capitalism will liberate women from their inferior economic position e.g. the state ownership of industry will eliminate the need for women to compete against men for employment.
- Sheila Rowbotham is described as a socialist rather than Marxist and for her female oppression has economic roots but it also stems from the traditional nature of the nuclear family and the dominance of male sexuality.
- Equality for women is a precondition for sexual revolution but it is not enough to raise the consciousness of women or to ensure their ability to define their own future.
- Socialists seek the liberation of women from their economic dependence upon men.
- Power must be distributed more evenly in society so that even working-class women would benefit and so there is a change in culture
Are Women Inevitably Oppressed And Discriminated Against
Under Capitalism:
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Yes:
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No:
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If men dominate positions of economic power, they will
discriminate against women
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Women are making progress in achieving senior positions in life.
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The predominance of women playing domestic roles means that men
are bound to dominate economic life
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No longer inevitable that women must concentrate on domestic roles
– women can play a full part in the economic life outside the
home |
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Women’s innate lack of aggressiveness and competitiveness makes
them ill-suited to the world of capitalism
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No such thing as the ‘innate non-aggressive’ nature of women.
If women are more caring, it would make a more humane form of
capitalism.
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