Why do liberal feminists see the state as a positive force?
As it can achieve gender equality through legal reform
What kind of policies do liberal feminists support?
Equal rights legislation
Anti-discrimination laws
Education access
Workplace democracy
Protection of individual rights
How did Mary Wollstonecraft view the state?
Inequality is a result of ignorance, not male supremacy
Women are rational beings like men, and so the state should provide education for women so that they can participate as citizens
How do liberal feminists view the state?
The state is a potential agent of progress and not inherently patriarchal
Women can be free from oppression under a reformed version of the current state
Why do radical feminists see the state as a negative force?
It is deeply patriarchal and maintains men’s dominance over women
How do radical feminists believe the state upholds the patriarchy?
Laws are historically created by men
Policing and legal systems fail to protect women
Traditional family structures are reinforced through policy
Control of women’s bodies
How does Kate Millett view the state?
Coined the idea of sexual politics’ - the patriarchy is maintained through both the state and private life
The family is a political institution upheld by the state that subordinates women
Culture, law, and education work together to maintain male power
How do radical feminists view the state?
The state is patriarchal to its core and needs radical restructuring
How do socialist feminists see the state as a negative force?
The state supports capitalist structures that exploit women’s unpaid labour
What policies do socialist feminists support?
State-funded childcare
Expanding welfare
Reducing economic inequality
Collective ownership or redistribution
How does Sheila Rowbotham view the state?
The state maintains capitalism which relies on women’s unpaid domestic labour
How does Marx view the state?
The state developed structures (e.g. the family and inheritance) that control women for capitalism
How do socialist feminists view the state?
The state serves both capitalism and the patriarchy, and only revolutionary change can be the solution
How do postmodern feminists view state discrimination?
The state discriminates in different ways depending on race, class, sexuality and disability - not just gender
How does bell hooks view the state?
She argues for a state that opposes racism, class oppression, and sexism together
Calls for a transformative, not only reformist, change
How do postmodern feminists view the state?
It reinforces intersecting oppressions
Needs deeply structural change with policies that reflect the diversity of women’s experiences
How do feminists disagree on their view of the state?
Liberals view the state as a neutral arbiter that can bring positive change for women
Radicals view the state as a patriarchal institution with deep rooted inequalities
Socialists view the state as an instrument of capitalism
Postmoderns see the state as reinforcing overlapping systems of oppression
How do feminists disagree in their view of how the state treats women?
Liberals see the state as creating inequality through outdated policies
Radicals see the state as actively upholding male dominance
Socialists see the state as exploiting women’s labour for capitalism
Postmoderns see the state as upholding racism, class bias, and sexism
How do feminists disagree in their view of how the state must be changed?
Liberals see the state as a positive force as it is able to be reformed through laws that provide equality of opportunity
Radicals believe the state must be overthrown or radically transformed
Socialists believe the existing state needs to be overthrown and economically restructured
Postmoderns believe the state must become more inclusive with diverse state reform
