The objective of my paper is to examine the connection between Capitalism and women’s both social and economical inequality. Marxist feminism explores this question by laying out an economic theory that shows a correlation between the emergence of capitalism, production and private property and the continued oppression of women. Other theorists argue that this oppression is due to an already existing patriarchal society.
Is the exploitation of women in the home through an unfair division of labor a result of the beginnings of capitalism? Is this exploitation in the home a cause of other inequalities, mainly those in the wage labor market? Is capitalism bolstered by already existing patriarchal social relations, or is capitalism continuing to reinforce patriarchal systems? Finally is it possible to liberate women and reach true equality in our current capitalist economy? These are the main questions I will examine throughout my paper.
These questions and the objective of my paper are significant to explore because they will help me to better understand my current status as a women in our capitalist economy. Understanding the origin of women’s economic oppression, and other inequalities, is a part of reaching an idea of how to remedy our current situation as women. It is important to me to answer the questions I have laid forth in order to take small steps in personally and possibly publicly, changing the current position of women.