Marxist Versus Socialist Feminism Essay
“Is it capitalism or patriarchy that causes inequality within modern marriages”? By the end of this essay, I hope to answer this question. In order to do so, I will be exploring two very important types of feminism; Marxist feminism and Socialist feminism. Marxist feminism focuses on the exploitation of women through capitalism, while Socialist feminism focuses on the exploitation of women through the patriarchy. During the remainder of this paper, I will be exploring the similarities and differences between these two types of feminism in relation to marriage and the oppression of women. In addition, I will also be referencing arguments from the literary works of Friedrich Engles, Heidi Hartmann, and Susan Okin. The most primary different between Marxist and Socialist feminism is what each see as
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Both feminist theories see women’s entrance into the paid economy and socialization of housework and child-rearing to be the two ways in which women can gain their independence. Women create the most valuable asset to any society – human capital. Because of this, you would think women would be properly paid for their work. However, women’s skills were, and still often are, “devalued as “natural talents”, offshoots of their sex” (Bromley, Pg. 72). Career and household demands often times push women to have to choose between one or the other. However, this is not how it should be. Instead, women should be able to find a balance between the two. From both perspectives, the socialization of housework and child-rearing can be achieved by “support communally through state-funded programs and subsidies” (Bromley, Pg. 75). Basically, paid professional workers would be brought in to perform childcare and household duties. This would, in turn, result in every family member being empowered, instead of women being held