Socialist feminism

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Ueno Chizuko 2014-05 U-Tokyo

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He Zhen

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Socialist feminism is a branch of feminism that focuses on the interconnectivity of the patriarchy and capitalism. Socialist feminists argue that liberation can only be achieved by working to end both the economic and cultural sources of women's oppression. They believe that the struggle to end male supremacy is key to social justice, but that it must be accompanied by a struggle to end economic exploitation and class oppression.

Origins and Development

Socialist feminism emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s as a response to the perceived inadequacies of both Marxist feminism and radical feminism. While Marxist feminists focused primarily on class struggle and radical feminists on gender oppression, socialist feminists sought to synthesize these perspectives, arguing that both class and gender must be addressed simultaneously.

Key Concepts

Socialist feminists emphasize the importance of understanding the ways in which capitalism and patriarchy are intertwined. They argue that the capitalist system benefits from the unpaid labor of women in the home and that this labor is essential to the functioning of the economy. Additionally, they highlight how women are often relegated to lower-paying jobs and are disproportionately affected by economic inequality.

Intersectionality

A key concept in socialist feminism is intersectionality, which examines how various forms of oppression, such as race, class, and gender, intersect and compound one another. This concept was later expanded upon by Kimberlé Crenshaw and has become a central tenet in contemporary feminist theory.

Dual Systems Theory

Socialist feminists often employ a dual systems theory, which posits that patriarchy and capitalism are two distinct but interrelated systems of oppression. This theory suggests that both systems must be dismantled to achieve true gender equality.

Notable Figures

Several prominent figures have contributed to the development of socialist feminism, including Heidi Hartmann, Nancy Hartsock, and Zillah Eisenstein. These theorists have written extensively on the ways in which economic and gender oppression are interconnected and have proposed various strategies for achieving social and economic justice.

Criticisms

Socialist feminism has faced criticism from both within and outside the feminist movement. Some critics argue that it places too much emphasis on class struggle at the expense of addressing other forms of oppression. Others contend that it is overly theoretical and lacks practical strategies for achieving change.

Related Pages

• Feminism
• Marxist feminism
• Radical feminism
• Intersectionality
• Patriarchy
• Capitalism
• Nancy Hartsock
• Heidi Hartmann
• Zillah Eisenstein

See Also

• Women's liberation movement
• Gender equality
• Economic inequality
• Social justice