marxist

• how does it view society?

  -argues women exploited by capitalism & men

  -women are unpaid houseworkers > confined to home

  > economically dependent on men

  -subordination of women performs 4 functions for capitalism
• how should gender equality be achieved?

  -must overthrow capitalism

  -only communist revolution will help
• strengths

  -shows understanding to two structural factors in women's oppression, not just one

  -shone light on women being oppressed in capitalist society

  -considers how other feminist movements have been focused on middle & upper-class women with working class being ignored
• criticisms

  -women's oppression prevalent in family before capitalism existed (radical)

  -sexism and oppression to women found in communism too

  -not relevant in todays society (women have more opportunity to work and choice to not have children)
• michele barrett
• subordination of women performs 4 functions for capitalism


  1 - source of cheap, exploitable labour

  2 - reserve army of labour

  3 - reproduction of labour force

  4 - absorption of anger