The History of Marxism and Feminism

eHow
July 15

Marxism and feminism complement one another in many ways, as both are centrally concerned with oppression and inequality. Marxist theory states that people are oppressed by the ruling class and that production, namely capitalism, is the ruling force of society. According to feminist theory, women are oppressed by a male-driven society. Marxist feminism, the intersection of the two philosophies, calls for the dismantling of capitalism to free the proletariat and promote gender equality.

History of Marxism
Karl Marx was a German political economist and philosopher in the late 19th century who addressed class struggle, a war between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Class inequality, he believed, was a result of capitalism, through which the bourgeoisie exploited the working class. The owners of the means of production have control over the class responsible for production, and this power struggle, under capitalism, will always favor the owners. Marx was also an important figure in the development of the theory of political economy, whereby the people who have the means of producing media and disseminating information are, by default, the ruling intellectual class, and their audiences are subject to the ideas produced by the haves, often without realizing it.

History of Feminism
The beginning of Western feminism is usually associated with suffrage and women’s rights movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Feminist history is divided into three “waves.” First-wave feminism is characterized by suffrage and the fight for equal rights. Second-wave feminism began around the 1960s, and promoted equal rights beyond suffrage, like ending institutionalized discrimination and reforming traditional, oppressive power structures. Third-wave feminism, starting in the 1980s and continuing today, includes men of women of all ethnicities, religions, classes and cultural backgrounds for equality across all identities. The third wave marks the first time that feminist discourse was not limited to privileged whites.

Marxist-Feminism
During much of Marx’s time, women were not part of the sociopolitical equation, but Marxism’s ideological foundation — that self-reinforcing power structures oppress and exploit a lower class — fits well with feminist ideology. The struggle between the bourgeoisie and the working class is parallel in many ways to the struggle of white, male-dominated society with women and minorities. Both ideologies accept that property ownership and material wealth give a ruling class the power to oppress an underclass, be it women or working people. Marxist feminists focus on the dismantling of the capitalist structure as a way to liberate women.

Marxism and Feminism Today
While capitalism is still alive today, women have made significant inroads toward equality in a capitalist society. Women have gained more control over their reproductive rights through access to birth control and abortion. Marriage rates have decreased over the last several decades as women are able to live independently. Political representation has increased, but there remains a paucity of women in politics. Advancements have been made in laws to protect women from sexual violence. But capitalism remains an enigma to equality. Women are consistently paid less than their male counterparts and hold fewer leadership positions despite accounting for most college graduates. Working mothers in many Western countries do not receive adequate maternity leave. Women are also oppressed by the commoditization of their bodies through capitalist institutions like the pornography industry and prostitution.

References and Resources
Library of Economics and Liberty; Marxism; David L. Prychitko
International Viewpoint; Marxism and Feminism; Frederique Vinteuil
International Socialism; Marxism and Feminism Today; Judith Orr; June 2010
The Workers International League: Marxism and Feminism