Exercise 4--concept Commodification of women in China

Historical transition (1) 1. Feudalist economy: Women did not have the rights to choose their husbands. Marriages were arranged Exchange between betrothals: exchange between brides’ dowry and gifts and money of groom’s family was highly calculated Families who could not afford to prepare dowries would send the daughters to be adopted. An adopted daughter was supposed to marry the son of the adopting family The marital relationship could be terminated if the women were incapable of producing offspring

Historical transition (2) 2. Capitalist society: In general, women had the rights to become independent—to go to school, to attend social gatherings, to have political rights (to vote and to be voted) They could choose to get resources by their own efforts and with their own means The problem: women became objects of men’s leisure Means to get resources: education, personal connections, professional skills, etc.

Can we achieve gender equality by erasing gender differences?