Key Thinker- Betty Friedan (1921-2006) Flashcards
Who was Betty Friedan, and what is her significance in feminist and liberal thought?
Betty Friedan was a pivotal figure in feminist ideology, primarily through her acclaimed work The Feminine Mystique (1963). Her ideas also broadened liberalism’s focus on equality of opportunity.
How does Betty Friedan’s concern for individualism connect with liberalism?
Friedan, like all liberals, emphasized individualism, insisting that every individual should be free to seek control over their lives and fully realize their potential. She argued that gender was a significant barrier to achieving this for women.
What was the main argument in The Feminine Mystique?
In The Feminine Mystique, Friedan argued that societal attitudes, rather than human nature, condemned most women to underachievement. These attitudes were perpetuated through various “cultural channels” like schools, religion, media, and literature, leading women to believe their roles were determined by nature rather than their own abilities.
How did Friedan view the role of societal attitudes in shaping women’s lives?
Friedan believed that societal attitudes were a form of “cultural conditioning” that led women to irrationally accept a limited role in life, thinking it was natural rather than a result of societal norms.
What was Friedan’s stance on achieving change in society?
Friedan, as a liberal thinker, disdained violence and illegality as means to achieve change. She believed significant progress could be made through legal equality and the procedures of a liberal state, such as those embodied in the US Constitution.
How did Friedan view the US Constitution in the context of liberalism and feminism?
Friedan acknowledged the US Constitution, inspired by John Locke’s philosophy, as a document capable of allowing continuous improvement in individuals’ lives. She believed it could effectively promote legal equality for women.
What was Friedan’s position on the radical feminist critique of the state?
Friedan rejected the radical feminist argument that the state was inherently patriarchal and controlled by men. Instead, she favored a view consistent with liberal constitutionalism, believing the state could be a vehicle for positive change.
What was Friedan’s position on the radical feminist critique of the state?
Friedan rejected the radical feminist argument that the state was inherently patriarchal and controlled by men. Instead, she favored a view consistent with liberal constitutionalism, believing the state could be a vehicle for positive change.
