What is Socialist Feminism?

“Socialist Feminism and the New Women’s Movement,” by Socialist Alternative (Christine Thomas, Erin Brightwell, Kelly Belin) – 2019

This is a basic primer on the history of feminism, with a Marxist take on the reason women are an oppressed group in capitalist society.  It first discusses Engel’s seminal work ‘Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State’ and ‘the world historic defeat of the female sex’ with its origins in the development of class society. 

It tracks the divides between different kinds of feminism – which the authors label as mostly ‘liberal feminism.’ I would describe the varieties as liberal, anti-male, proletarian and socialist.  All of them overlap on certain issues, like abortion and women’s rights.  Liberal feminism concentrates on promoting the needs of upper-class women.  Anti-male identity feminism blames all men as the enemy, as part of the patriarchy.  Proletarian feminism focuses on the needs of proletarian women and families, like daycare and equal pay or equal work opportunities.  Socialist feminism locates the center of oppression for women not in the patriarchy alone but in the profit system, in which the patriarchy is embedded.

The authors discuss the ‘three’ historic waves of the women’s movement, with a socialist take on each.  They cover the #MeToo movement, the renewed push to outlaw abortion behind the appointment of Brett Kavanaugh, the recent teachers’ strikes, conservative anti-female religion, continued violence against women and the chauvinism of Trump.  The recent strike by Google workers regarding sex harassment on the job is one bright spot.  Black feminism, NOW, the Hyde Amendment, women CEOs, ‘lean in’ and ‘glass ceiling’ feminism, women in trade unions, A. Kollontai and the Russian Revolution all come in for attention.  

If you’ve ever wondered why, even after 233 years as a nation, the U.S. is still backward on the issue of gender, then a socialist understanding, as represented in this thin book, might help.  At a recent trans-feminist book reading at May Day Books, I commented that capital profits both economically and socially off the second-hand status of women.  The attendee I was addressing looked at me stunned and never replied.  Perhaps this had never occurred to her.  She needed to read this short book!

Other reviews on this subject below, use blog search box, upper left: “Feminists and Feminists,” “Fortunes of Feminism,” “Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again,” “Marxism and the Oppression of Women,” “Stitched Up,” “Shopping World,” “Mistaken Identity,” “The Unwomanly Face of War,” “Really? Rape? Still?” “Reflections on the Olympics 2012,” “Women in Soviet Art,” 'Three Essays by Alexandra Kollontai."

And I bought it after a forum by Socialist Alternative at May Day Books. 
It is a part of a large collection of small books/pamphlets that May Day has, authored by various left organizations.

Red Frog

May 18, 2019