Marx vs Gilman free essay sample

Marx argued that the goal of intellectual work such as his was to change the world; an opinion obviously shared by Gilman since she was also on a mission to change the world, for women. Gilman is known for her humanist-socialist perspective but, I believe that her theories also share a similar quality to Marx’s conflict theory. Whereas Marx sees the conflict, or class struggle, being between the bourgeoisie (the owners) and the proletariat (the workers); Gilman sees the conflict, gender struggle, between men and women. Marx advocated social reform for the proletariat (workers). The focus of Marx’s conflict theory is that by eliminating privilege, the overall welfare of the society can be increased. This would then create a true equality amongst members of a society. He argues that privileged groups are working to maintain their privileges, while the disadvantaged are constantly trying to attain more. The owners are making all the profit while the workers are, basically, trading their labor for bare necessities like food, shelter and clothing. Gilman advocated social reform to women, similar to that urged earlier by Marx to workers. She recognized the inequalities inherent in the social structure of the working world which excluded women from most jobs, confining them to the world of the home where they worked all day, every day; their only compensation being the roof over their heads. They had no income over which they had complete control; and this is the situation she called on them to remedy. Although Gilman was a feminist, she believed that both men and women were victims of the damaged social structure. Women are forced to lead restricted lives, and this serves to limit their human progress; while, men suffer from behaviors that their cultural habits of dominance and power have told them are social norms. Therefore, both are victims of the social norms created by society. This concept of â€Å"equality of blame† also parallels Marx. Although he advocated for the rights and equality of the mistreated workers, he also argues that the owners were victims of the overall social structure. Society created the social classes and deemed them normal; therefore, both the owners and the workers were only playing their designated roles. The main difference in the theories of Marx and Gilman is in how we will reach this social change they preach about. Marxist philosophy is based on revolution, while Gilman’s is based on evolution. Marx believed that, through class consciousness, the workers would eventually recognize they were being exploited, and put an end to privilege. That they would revolt against their oppressors and end Capitalism once and for all; and a new utopia of equality under Communism would emerge. While Gilman believed that, women would not have a revolution against the men, but we would â€Å"evolve† into equality. Society would over time, as women became more economically independent, balance its injustices. Then, women would finally be free to develop as individuals, and to offer their untapped resources to their families and society as a whole. So, in modern day society, if we have â€Å"evolved† or â€Å"revolted† into equality; why are women still paid less than men in the same jobs? What would Marx and Gilman have to say about the subject? Even in the 19th century, Marx pointed to the tendency for capitalism to make super-profits from the exploitation of women and children. He wrote: The labor of women was the first thing sought for by capitalists who used machinery. † (Marx, Capital) He would argue that the capitalists constant attempt to increase the rate of profit, has led to the ever increasing employment of women. The capitalist system regards women merely as a convenient source of cheap labor. Since, in the past, women were conditioned by class society to be politically indifferent, unorganized and passive; they are easily taken advantage of. They believe that women won’t complain like the men do, because they are weaker. Therefore, they can pay them less and increase their own profit margin without hassle. And, despite all the talk about a womans world and girl power, and despite all the laws that supposedly guarantee equality, women workers remain the most exploited and oppressed section of the proletariat. Gilman would, no doubt, rejoice in the fact that so many women are out of their homes, in the work force, and independent from men; regardless of any pay differences. And, she would surely embrace the idea of â€Å"woman’s world† and â€Å"girl power†; and see this as proof that she was right and that women were evolving. I theorize that she would be less concerned with the pay differences as long as women could still be economically important and independent. But she would see the pay differences between men and women as yet another stumbling block on the way to equality; another way that the patriarchal society is oppressing women by showing their power and dominance as men.