Submitted by Reverend Chuck0:



Anarcha-Feminism - Thinking about Anarchism



Workers Solidarity #79



An important principle of anarchism and one that more than any

other differentiates it from other types of socialism is its emphasis

on freedom and non-hierarchical social relations.



Central to

anarchism is the rejection of any power hierarchy between men and

women. Anarchists believe that the liberty of one is based on the

liberty of all and so there can be no true anarchist society without

an end to all existing structures of domination and exploitation,

including naturally the oppression of women.

As anarchists we believe that the means determines the end. This

means that we do not wait for some future revolution to tackle the

problems of sexism but instead see that it is important to struggle

against it in the here and now. As anarchists we strive to ensure

that both our own organisations and also those campaigns we are

involved in are free from sexism and power-hierarchies and that all

members have equal decision-making power.



We recognise that the full participation of women within the

anarchist movement and social struggles of today is very important.

In order to shape the future society women must be involved in its

creation and, of course, without the participation of half of the

population there will be no social revolution. Just as we believe the

emancipation of the working class is the task of the working class

themselves, we also see that, essentially, women's development,

freedom and independence must come from themselves. Becoming

involved in political struggle is in itself an act of empowerment.

Many women in today's society do not believe that they could have

a role in fundamentally changing things. However by getting

involved, by assuming our place - agitating, educating and

organising- we begin to take control of our own lives in the process

of actively fighting to change the unjust society in which we live.



Only in an anarchist society will the basis for the oppression of

women cease to exist. This is because women, due to their

reproductive role, will always be more vulnerable than men in

capitalist society which is based on the need to maximise profit.

Abortion rights, paid maternity leave, crèche and childcare

facilities etc., in short everything that would be necessary to ensure

the economic equality of women under capitalism, will always be

especially relevant to women. Because of this, women are generally

viewed as being less economical than men to employ and are more

susceptible to attacks on gains such as crèche facilities etc.



Also, women cannot be free until they have full control over their

own bodies. Yet under capitalism, abortion rights are never

guaranteed. Even if gains are made in this area they can be

attacked, as happens with abortion rights in the USA. The

oppression of women under capitalism has thus an econom-ic and

sexual basis. From these root causes of women's oppression, stem

other forms of oppression like, for example, the ideological

oppression of women, violence against women etc. That is not to

say that sexist ideas will just disappear with the end of capitalism,

but rather only with the end of capitalism can we rid society of an

institutional bias that contin-ues to propagate and encourage

sexism.



As an anarchist society will not be driven by profit, there, for

example, will be no eco-nomic penalty for having children or

wanting to spend more time with them. Childcare, housework etc.,

can be seen as the respon-sibility of the whole of society and thus

give women and men more options in general.



Anarchism/Anarcha-feminism* joins the fight against class

exploitation and that against women's oppression together. True

freedom, both for women and men, can only come about in a

classless society, where workplaces are self-managed, private

property is abolished and the people who make decisions are those

affected by them.



Clearly the struggle for women's freedom requires a class struggle

by the workers. And in turn, the class struggle can only be

successful if it is at the same time a struggle against women's

oppression.



by Deirdre Hogan



-----------------------------------------------------------



*Anarchism and anarcha-feminism are the same thing -

anarcha-femisism just emphasises the feminism that is inherent to

anarchism.



-----------------------------------------------------------



See also



* Anarchism & Womens Liberation



http://struggle.ws/wsm/women.html



* Thinking about Anarchism accumulating debt, the last issue



http://struggle.ws/wsm/anarchism.html



---------------------------------------------



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