1. MOVEMENTS OF THE PEOPLE The Second Wave of Feminism: Part 2
HI021: AOS 2
MOVEMENTS OF THE PEOPLE
The Second Wave of Feminism: Part 2

2. Historical perspectives
Liberalism
Existentialism
Marxism

3. Historical perspectives
The second wave of feminism can be seen in a number of variations, each using different ideologies to support their arguments
Among these are:
Radical feminism
Essentialist feminism
Post Modern Feminism
Socialist feminism
Psychoanalytic feminism
Evolutionary feminism
Afro-American feminism
Our focus will be on:
Existential feminism
Liberal Feminism
Marxist feminism

4. EXISTENTIALISM The social world and the construction of the women

5. Existentialist feminism
Derives from the work of Simone de Beauvoir
One is not born a women but becomes one through social experience
Women do not need to be powerless or dependent on male/female relationships
A person’s identity is made up of their emotions, actions, responsibilities, and thoughts: Not their sex

6. John Stuart Mill on liberty

7. Liberal feminism
Mid 19th century: John Stuart Mill argued government should stay out of the private affairs of its citizens
Personal “rights” should predominate over concerns for the social good:
‘An individual is allowed to do what they wish, provided it does not harm others’
Therefore, the social roles of women (eg: ‘house wife’) should not be influenced by what a government or an ideology requires of them

8. Marxism: A conservative view

9. Marxist feminists
Marxism focuses on how the material and economic aspects of life influence the social world: Criticises capitalism for its construction of social class
Traditionally this applies to rich (bourgeois) and poor (proletariat)
Marxist feminists argue that in capitalist system domestic work is trivialised and not seen as ‘real’ work
Women were oppressed while men were free to negotiate the world of ‘real’ work
Marxist feminists view the capitalist drive for profits as responsible for women's second-class status
Engels argued that monogamous marriage has nothing to do with love and everything to do with private property
He wrote that if women are to be truly free from men, they must be economically independent.

10. Accomplished feminist perspectives: 1974

11. Activity…
Categorise the quotes from Friedan, Greer and de Beauviour as either liberalist, Marxist or eistentialist