Marxism

Question 1

what did the Marxist Engles say about gender inequalities?

Answer 1

• Engles is credited with putting forward the early Marxist view on womens position in society
• he suggested that womens subordinate position is a result of the ownership of private property and the development of the nuclear family that went with it
• he argued that the rise of a class based society through capitalism brought with it rising inequality
• the exploiter ecploited relationship that occurs between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is translated into the household in relationship[s between men and women
• Engles argued that under capitalism men gained control over women as they wanted to pass on private property in the form of inheritance from one genderation to the enctr and they wanted to be sure that the heirs were their legitimate offspring
• this gave rise to the ideology of the nuclear family which sought to restrict womens sexuality and enforce monogamy to protect male property rights

Question 2

what did Marxists say about gender inequalities’?

Answer 2

-Marxists also share an interest with Marxist feminists in the role of women in supporting capitalism through their unpaid domestic labour and their position in the world of work as a reserve army of labour

Question 3

what do neo-Marxists say about gender inequalities?

Answer 3

• neo Marxists have developed Marxist theory beyond an analysis of social class
• they argue that social structure is based on the dominance of some groups over others and that groups in society share common interests whether their members are aware of it or not
• conflict is not simply based on class struggle and the tensions between owner and workers or wmployer and employee, it occurs on a much wider level and among almost all other groups
• these include parents and children, husbands and wives, young and old, sick and healthy, people of different ethnicities, heterosexual or homosexual, female or male and other groups that have a minority and majority accoriing to the elvel of resources and power
• from the q1960s onwards, neo-Marxists have sought to support all oppressed groups in their struggle for equality, including women
• however much of the research into this area has been conducted by Marxist feminists who have a particular focus on gener inequalities

Question 4

why have Marxists use of over emphasised been questions?

Answer 4

• Marxists have been criticised for over emphasising the impact of class and economic factors on gender
• radical feminists agrgue that the oppression of women by men was the first form of oppression

Question 5

why have Marxists been questioned for focusing on macro structural issues?

Answer 5

-Marxists have been criticised for focusing on macro, structural isses and neglecting the small scale interactions that provide a more valid understanding of relationships between men and women

Question 6

why were Marxists accused of creating a conspiracy theory?

Answer 6

-Marxists have been accused of creating a conspiract theory that suggests that the bourgeoisie work together to create and enforce dominant ideas such as the ideology of the nuclear family but there is little empiractle evidence to support this claim

Question 7

why did Marxists cri9ticise postmodernists?

Answer 7

-postmodernists would argue that Marxist views are outdated and fail to recognise the changes to gender roles that have heappened over the last 50 years or so