Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 02050088
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED168935 AUTHOR: Flax, Jane
TITLE: A Materialist Theory of Women's Status.
YEAR PUBLISHED: (1978)
NOTE: 30 p.
ABSTRACT: The paper examines three factors--reproduction,
production, and psychodynamics--which contribute to
maintaining an inferior image of women in a capitalistic
society. It also offers suggestions for changing these
social structures so that they will not relegate women to
inferior social status. In a capitalistic society
production
is based on commodities, which are defined as objects which
have exchange value in the market place. Although the
position of women as nurturers is highly valued socially,
women do not gain the esteem and power which comes from the
world of commodities. Also, the social organization of
capitalism reinforces the division between nurturance
(female) and authority (male). In addition, the tasks of
reproduction and socialization of children also divide
women
and men into tasks of nurturance and authority. This
duality
is then reflected in the work which women do outside the
home. When women display behavior inappropriate to their
roles as nurturing females, they threaten the central
elements of social organization. Finally, psychodynamics,
the interaction of one's biological and mental life, is
also
gender differentiated; we do not learn that we are a person
with a variety of attributes, one of which is gender, but
that we are either male or female. Thus, feminist demands
must go beyond equal pay for equal work, equal opportunity,
and affirmative action which do not address the
psychological resistance to changes in women's status.
Rather, a future must be structured in which feminist
values
are fully integrated into social relations and
institutions.
(Author/KC)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Attitude-Change; Change-Agents;
Child-Care;
Child-Rearing; Family-Structure; Feminism-; Futures-of
Society; Males-; Parent-Child-Relationship;
Power-Structure;
Productivity-; Psychological-Patterns;
Reproduction-Biology;
Sex-Role; Sex-Stereotypes; Socialization-; Social-Values
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Capitalism-; *Change-Strategies;
*Cultural
Influences; *Females-; *Negative-Attitudes; *Social
Influences
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