IS COMPETITION FROM CAPITALISM THE ROOT OF PATRIARCHY?

Because capitalism promotes competition with regards to employment, pay, prices etc., it has inspired competition among society's individuals. It may have in some way enhanced or introduced the oppression of women in our society by men. A capitalist society where the economy is competitive and based on private ownership, we all strive to get to the top to be the most successful. Although, capitalism is not the only way a society can exist, there are different views on how society should function, one of which is the Marxist view. “Marxism is a basic world view first developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the 19th century and further developed by various scholars and political activists” (Marxism, 2011).

Issues that arise can be approached differently, for example, there have been recent cutbacks to a benefit program designed to help single mothers in Canada. This benefit program called the “Who Benefits” is “funded by a government program called “Status of Women Canada” and is run by a community social program called “Working for Women” in Saskatoon. The program is designed to aid in the welfare of single women on social assistance who have preschool aged children” (Hanson & Hanson, 2010). The program was recently cut back by five million dollars by the House of Commons. From a Marxist perspective, there should be equality, and issues such as rate of pay and job description would be viewed as equal opportunity among everyone. Furthermore, they would tell us to rise up and to make bigger changes in our structure rather than in our individual and community based programs.

I felt a connection to the particular issue of these cutbacks, as I once was a single mother struggling to make ends meet, living in a low-income area and barely meeting the poverty line. At one point in time I benefited from a program for low income single mothers, designed to help single mothers financially make ends meet. The program involved teaching mothers about health issues and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle; in return, you would receive an income supplement. Growing up I was also brought up in a single parent home. My mother was the victim of spousal abuse by my father which led to their divorce. My mother was one of the first women to attend Osborne House, another women’s outreach program for the community, a shelter for battered women. Alongside my mother were five children, all girls, who depended solely on her. Since I have been directly impacted by these types of government programs it is easy to identify with the impact of government cutbacks to these types of programs. However, it may be hard to relate to this situation, depending on individual perspectives and role in society.

Today’s government response to these cutbacks is that “this government has kept its commitments to Canadians by ensuring accountability and value for tax dollars” (Verner, P.C., M.P., 2010). In reaction to this response many questions came to mind; does this mean that women are not valuable enough to receive benefits from tax dollars? Who said it should be the women who take on the major parenting role and end up in these single parent positions? If men were not recognized in society as the “bread winners” and if there was not as much pressure on men to succeed (in a capitalist society) and if there was no so called woman’s role that requires a mother to stay home and tend to the family (as seen as a norm in recent history) maybe there would not be as much pressure on families to try to “make it” up the ladder of success, in our capitalist society. I ask myself, would there be as many single mothers today if we did not live in a capitalist society? If there was equality among men and women starting in the work force, maybe attitudes toward women would begin to change.

Like Marxism for example, on speaking of Revolution they say that “only if they unite to end the capitalist system and create a classless society can they eliminate poverty, unemployment, inequality, alienation and environmental destruction” (Marxism, 2011). However, Marxism does not have a particular view on the oppression of women; in fact the ideologies of Marxism are criticized for this, being that Marxism does not look at the oppression of women separately. However, social feminists take on many of Marxist perspectives. Social Feminists believe that “socialist feminism attempts to locate an analysis of women in society within a socialist or Marxist analysis of capitalism. However, it does not consider women’s oppression to be a simple subset of the overall oppression of the working class”. (Mullaly, 2007, p. 164). Even though Marxists do not focus on the oppression of women in general, they do believe that “any significant social change can come about only through class conflict”. ( Mullaly, 2007, p. 146).

Like social feminists, social workers also commonly base their values around Marxist beliefs and perspectives, being that Marxism explains the development of the welfare state and is committed to socialism. In addition, Marxism also identifies that personal problems are largely due to the capitalist society. For social workers, having an understanding of how our society works and how it affects the people in it is important to know because they are often required to assist people who have been negatively affected by society.

I agree with many of the Marxist views, such as their view on capitalism (that it should not exist) and that private ownership and greed should not be what runs our economy (forcing people to become greedy and competitive). I also agree with the equality perspectives from the Marxist theory, that everyone has equal opportunity. I applaud the Marxist perspectives on equality among people in the workforce, it would be a good start at helping to frame society around a more non-stereotypical, patriarchy society. Perhaps society would start to focus on a way to function that would help aide the oppression of women. Marxists say they would “focus their efforts on labor as the primary vehicle for socialist change” (Mullaly, 2007, p. 146).

Perhaps it is the effects of capitalism that causes the oppression of women, it all depends on how we focus on the issue and through which perspective.

Brenda.

References,

Hanson, C., & Hanson, L. (2010). Unpaid work and social policy: Engaging research with mothers on social Assistance, 9(179), 180-198. Doi: 10.1177/1476750310388053

Marxism. (2011). Canadian Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved from
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005140

Mullaly, B. (2007). The New structural Social Work (3rd ed.). Don Mills, Ontario, Oxford University Press.