Communism In Canada

Thirdly, the state can be understood through Marxism. Like elitism, it recognizes in all modern societies there is a self-interested ruling class. This group derives power from their control over the means of production; only a communist revolution can produce change to an egalitarian society (Garner, 2013). Marxists understand gender as men occupying the ruling class; they frame the power imbalance as men owning the means of production, therefore controlling the economy. In Japan, labour has been a key issue in feminist lobbying. Women’s work in the home was undervalued, and as women began to work outside the home, they were expected to provide and care for the family (Eto, 2001). The exploitation of women as workers diminished as they protested,

In the Canadian welfare state, labour has also been a subject of debate. Although women gained longer maternity leave, day care funding, and increased educational opportunities, they are still actively oppressed (Brodie, 2008). Canadian women are underpaid compared to their male counterparts, as women in full-time jobs only earn 71% of what men in the same positions earn, and families with single mothers are almost three times more likely to live in poverty (Brodie, 2008). Women in Canada effectively play the role of the working class (proletariat), while men play the role of the ruling class (bourgeoisie). We can also conceptualize gender with the Canadian and Japanese welfare state through theories of power, like Steven Luke’s three faces of power. The first face of power,

The elite control the ideology of the general population through outlets like the media, the means of communication, and the socialization arena. False consciousness, or an obscuring belief upheld by the elite, can cause societies to make decisions that are not beneficial to the majority (Garner, 2013). Discursive power is applied to gender in the Japanese welfare state by recognizing the elite reinforce patriarchal views. The expectation of Japanese women to remain in the home as caretakers, and the dependence of Japanese women on their husbands, allowed the elite, specifically men, to retain power. As stated in Eto’s “Women's leverage on social policymaking in japan,” most Japanese women had no idea that there were inequalities in their society (Eto, 2001). Through the actions of a group of women, Japan made changes to its welfare state that allowed women to become educated and being working (Peng, 2001). This cultural change may be responsible for members of the society overcoming their false consciousness and recognizing the inequality between genders. But, it cannot be said Japan has completely moved past patriarchy; many still hold traditional beliefs about women (Peng, 2001). Canadian society has also made great strides. Canadian women were similarly expected to stay in the home as caretakers, out of influential positions and