Betty Friedan - Key Thinker 6

Question 1

Friedan’s key work

Answer 1

The Feminine Mystique - 1963

Question 2

Friedans concern of individualism

Answer 2

Concern of individualism at the heart of Friedan’s philosophy

Insisted all individuals should seek self-determination (the power to choose their own destiny) and self-actualisation (reach their full potential)

Like Wollstonecraft, agreed that gender seriously hinders women’s individualism

Question 3

Friedan’s cause of women’s underachievement

Answer 3

Reason for women’s underachievement was illiberal attitudes rather than human nature

These attitudes were transferred via ‘cultural channels’
E.g. schools, religion, mainstream media

This allowed ‘cultural conditioning’ (influenced by your environment) left many women thinking they were being controlled by ‘iron laws’ (controlling laws) rather than their own rationality

Friedan wanted to challenge this ‘irrational’ assumption

Question 4

Friedan’s view on how to reach progress

Answer 4

Friedans identity as a liberal + feminist undermined by her disdain of violence + illegality to pursue change

Progress was only possible through the procedures of a liberal state

Therefore she acknowledged America’s Lockean constitution, believing it can improve peoples’ lives

She rejected the Marxist-feminist argument that the state was dominated by ‘patriarchal’ corporations (the belief capitalism + private property is structured via gender)

Instead, Friedan favoured liberal constitutionalism