Socialist Feminism

• • Gender inequality stems form economists
  • Focus on public and private sphere
  • Want a 'revolution within a revolution'
  • Nature of men and women are the same but distinction between sex and gender has been created
  • State works in interests of capitalism and patriarchy
  • Women aren't treated equally in society as seen in them staying at home and doing unpaid labour
• Views on patriarchy 


  - Women are particularly oppressed in a patriarchal society

  - 'Inferior' status of women caused by capitalism

  - Feel a revolution is needed with cooperation of men and women to overthrow capitalism

  - Should be achieved through democracy, freedom and equality
• Views on capitalism 


  - Women's work is underpaid, undervalued and sometimes unpaid

  - Capitalism relegates women to the reserve army of labour
• Sheila Rowbotham

  • Criticises traditional marxism fro taking narrow view on oppression of women by focusing on the economic sphere and not the domestic
  • Men and women must be willing to end patriarchy and men must be willing to relinquish dominant position in society
  • "Men will often admit women are oppressed, but not you"
• Friedrich Engles

  • Pointed out that women were not allowed to own property and were oppressed by property owners
  • Reserve army of labour: women more likely to get low paid jobs in times of productivity and easily discharged