Comparing Mary Wollstonecraft And Karl Marx

When contemplating the development of society through the ages, few consider the paths over which advancement occurs. Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx both address the progress of society, illustrating each stage and explaining their understanding of the mediums of change. Wollstonecraft, an 18th century feminist who defied social norms in her day-to-day life, lived in Europe during a tumultuous era in history. Born in London (where she lived for the majority of her life), Wollstonecraft surrounded herself with many of the great thinkers of the Enlightenment, joining an influential radical group in an endeavor to promote feminism. During the French Revolution she moved to Paris to witness the insurrection of the proletariat under the bourgeoisie.

Wollstonecraft believes that the inequality between men and women is without basis and is bolstered through societal norms and standards. She reasons that only “. . . bodily strength . . . give[s] man . . . superiority over woman; and [that] is the only solid basis on which the superiority of the sex can be built” (Wollstonecraft 52). She believes that women are perceived as less than men because they are not allowed to educate themselves to the full extent of their male peers, their education instead “. . . subordinate to the acquirement of some corporeal accomplishment . . . [instead of] the cultivation of . . . understanding . . .” (Wollstonecraft 33). Marx, on the other hand, measures progress through the scope of economy, arguing that only a violent overthrowing of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat can bring the changes needed to develop complete economic equality between the citizens of a state. He believes a realm has only reached the end of development when a perfect communist state has formed. For Marx, ultimate equality can only be found in the complete economic freedom from private property, the distribution of labor to all, and the end of capitalism as something between individuals (Marx 100-1). He believes a perfect communist state

. .” to maintain societal subjugation (Wollstonecraft 34-35). Because women are denied education, Wollstonecraft believes that they do not possess sufficient strength of mind to acquire what she considers to be virtue. To her, rationality and reason are crucial to becoming a moral, virtuous member of society. Instead of women systemically conforming to the rigid, useless boundaries that society has established for them, Wollstonecraft calls for them to rise above the societal definition of women and to instead reform the word (and themselves subsequently) into something of power, education, rationality, and strength; a word to rival the connotations of perceived of