Unit 4: To what extent did the status of women change between 1949-1976? Flashcards
What was the aim of social and cultural policies?
To remove old fashioned values and replace them with the new classless Society.
Why did Mao dislike the views of Confucius?
Confucius thought that family was more important than the state.
What were the three obediences for women?
Women was subjected to:
Their father before marriage
Their husband when married
Their son when widowed
What were the traditional Chinese views on women?
Women held low status in society.
Many forced into arranged marriages.
Rich men wanted pretty wives, whilst poor man saw a wife as another labourer.
Could not own property.
No political voice.
What was footbinding?
The practise of breaking a girl’s foot to restrict growth at the age of 6 because small feet and swaying gait that this produced was sexually appealing.
When was foot binding banned?
1911 but still continued in rural areas.
What were the traditional Chinese views on marriage?
A girl was not valued as highly as a boy because once she was married, she was out of the family and forced to submit to her husband’s authority.
A daughter may be denied food in favour of her brother.
Gifts exchange to reinforce the sense that the bride was property that had been purchased.
Husbands expected their wives to carry out domestic work and objected to them from leaving the home.
“When husbands are angry, they beat their wives. When wives are angry, their husbands beat them.”
What were the traditional Chinese attitudes for educational opportunities?
Girls were not sent to school because their families gained no economic benefits.
42% of males received schooling in comparison to 2.2% of females.
What were the traditional Chinese attitudes of mothers in law?
Mothers in law would stay close to their son as he would look after her in old age.
jealous of their sons wife, petty by giving the wives the most unpleasant chores.
What were Mao’s views on marriage?
An advocate for women’s rights.
Supported the suicide of Miss Zhao, whose marriage had been arranged against her.
He had also been subjected to an arranged marriage against his will but did not consider her his wife.
Arranged marriage was indirect rape.
What is a bride price?
An amount paid by the groom’s family for the bride which reflects her perceived value.
What is a dowry?
An amount paid by the brides family for the groom which reflects his perceived value.
What were features of the marriage law 1950?
Arranged marriages were outlawed.
Men and women had the right to divorce.
illegitimate children had equal rights with legitimate children.
Concubinage and polygamy was outlawed.
What was the impact of the marriage law 1950?
Impact was limited by traditional resistance, especially from the Muslim regions of the West.
A second propaganda campaign was launched but also failed due to the cadre who resented the changes.
What were the gains for women during collectivisation and the communes?
Could own land.
Facilities like laundries and kindergartens provided by the communes freed women from domestic chores.
Could fill roles traditionally occupied by men such as soldiers.
