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Introduction
Karl Marx is renowned as one of the greatest pioneers in sociological thinking who developed classical literature that helped to define social life and societal development. Women also contributed to the literature, leading to social theory and sociological thought. However, the role played by women has primarily been disguised as rudimentary. Despite this understanding, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a woman, stands out as one of the most outstanding intellectuals who helped to define the universally applied intricacies that define gender roles and economics. Marx and Charlotte were born in Germany in 1818 and 1860, respectively (Appelrouth & Edles 2016, p.38;205). They gained massive success in clearly describing common prerequisites that classify women’s roles as inferior to the social status of men in society. Marx developed the conflict theory, while Charlotte is widely associated with developing the humanist-socialist perspective. Max and Charlotte may have had differing lines of thought, but they both aimed to create a better understanding of the human world.
Discussion
Marx contributed to a better society by pushing for social reformation by suggesting that eliminating privileges would enhance the whole community’s welfare. In particular, Marx developed a communist ideology by emphasizing that gender inequality emanated from having a strongly patriarchal society. He argued that society had created social classes regarded as usual such that the capitalists and proletariats played their elected roles. He likened this to a dog-eat-dog culture where the focus would be on the market dominance attained through watching the bottom line (Appelrouth & Edles 2016, p.45). Even as this could be regarded as a form of exploitation, Marx argued that it was a relentless legalization of the social establishment of private property ownership. It is out of this argument that there exist different gender roles played by men and women.
Accordingly, in a capitalistic society, women would be socially disadvantaged because men were totally in control of capital and the means of production. That is why men, as opposed to women, continued to perpetuate undisputable domination in society’s rational compass.
Marx referred to the inter-gender forces in a family as having an economic rather than a biological definition, which helped to corroborate the varying gender roles. He likened man’s superiority in a family to the dominance of laissez-faire capitalists over the proletarians (Appelrouth & Edles 2016, p.46). Therefore, he considered the male-controlled conventions of a proper family as the one where man consistently stayed in charge and ruled over the family. His argument openly noted that women were subordinate to men, which, like in private property exchanges, was subject to change. His view was more pronounced and dialectical when he referred to the issue of different gender roles.
Furthermore, Marx likened technological advancements to improving women’s role in society. He stated that as technology improves, there is a corresponding decline in the actual worth of physical assets from being explicitly nonexistent to creating the division of labor in the global economic order. Marx held that improvements in technology would benefit the disadvantaged people in society, given that they would become autonomous in their functions (Appelrouth & Edles, 2016, p.213). In the same way, women also help, especially considering that since the Industrial Revolution, women have consistently reduced their dependence on men to become more prosperous. Nonetheless, they continue to be subjected to capitalistic exploitation, indicating that the deliverance of women from the burden of patriarchal subjugation is a fundamental fragment of the global socialist endeavor.
Charlotte focused on defining the different gender roles from a wider sociological point of view. Appelrouth and Edles (2016) state, “Getting back to Gilman, given that she melds the distinct traditions of neo-Marxism, symbolic interactionism, and social Darwinism, it should not come as no surprise that her approach can be said to be theoretically multidimensional.” (p.211). Her work was mainly centered on the ideals of socialism as opposed to the pure capitalistic approach preferred by Marx. This provides a key difference in her description of gender roles with the argument advanced by Marx.
Charlotte emerged as a vital intellectual person by emphasizing that the social roles of men and women ought to be described systemically. Her humanist-socialist perspective school of thought advocated the need to thoroughly observe that human societies are spatially protracted phenomenologically independent entities. She stated that society is a body made up of discrete animals of the homo species existing in biological relations (Appelrouth & Edles, 2016, p.206). The theory that focuses on evolution points to the steady creation of an animate connection between people, which is purely established on fiscal grounds. Charlotte meant that men and women depend on each other and are socially integrated human creatures. The proposition challenges the feminist hypothesis that women can fulfill their desires without depending on men.
Charlotte reinforces the common understanding of the typical male-controlled oppression of women who would continue to be economically dependent on men through a breadwinner husband and stay-at-home wife connection. Her argument suggests that women are deprived of the opportunity to appraise their social contributions within the framework of interpreting the resultant long-term universal effects on humanity’s general well-being (Appelrouth & Edles, 2016, p.207). Her argument means that there would be no human progress to talk about if women do not willingly seek self-actualization through motherliness and continue to shoulder the everyday jobs as housewives.
Charlotte acknowledges that modern society fails to account for different gender roles. Eves as it is true that the capitalist society is dominated by men and is driven primarily by the economic motive, holds that women play an equal role. Charlotte argued that women ought to be reimbursed for every hour they support the procreation of human beings and perform household tasks. She did consider the traditional family structure highly unfair to women because they do not get any economic compensation for their roles (Appelrouth & Edles, 2016, p.214). Charlotte insists that women do play a significant role in advancing the financial interests of the patriarchal, capitalistic society.
Despite strongly advocating for women’s liberation, her interpretations of the most profound description of the different gender roles also do not strongly connect with the substances of political economy that are the foundation of Marx’s argument. As opposed to Marx, Charlotte did not focus on the evils of capitalism but similar to how Marx considered capitalism exploitative because workers do not own the means of production. She does not see the economic independence of women over men and the ensuing sexual connection as complete social illustrations of subjugation but rather as a form of human evolution. Charlotte held that through social change, women played the social role of supporting men and that through biotechnological developments, women would become equal to men. The indication is that her emphasis on differential socialization does not deny the existence of physical differences between men and women (Appelrouth & Edles 2016, p.209). She provides the example of the rise of women over and above their biological role to become somewhat equal to men.
Conclusion
Therefore, Marx and Charlotte contributed significantly toward educating society on the societal descriptions of gender roles and the economy. Their contribution has earned them recognition as prominent intellectuals in teaching social change. They developed different perspectives as Marx leaned toward revolution, and Charlotte-based her arguments on evolution. Marx also aimed to create thinking that would help to change the world, a position shared by Charlotte even though she inclined more toward making the world better for women (Appelrouth & Edles 2016, p.221). Marx focused on defining gender roles in a capitalist society likening women to proletariats who would, in due course, know they were being oppressed. He suggested that they would start to rebel against the tyrants and end free enterprise once and for all, and a new ideal of impartiality would emerge in the form of communism.
Charlotte foretold a time when women would become empowered through biotechnology to the extent that they would rebel against men. She stated that the process would evolve into equality as society would empower women over time. As they become empowered and more economically independent, there would be a balance of gender injustices to the level where women would eventually be free to progress by themselves. Even as Charlotte centered her arguments on exploitation through the traditional family structure, her theories shared similarities with Marx’s reference to capitalism. Marx described the conflict between men and women as a class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. At the same time, Charlotte saw a conflict purely as a gender struggle putting men against women.
Reference
Appelrouth, S., & Edles, LD. (2016). Classical and contemporary sociological theory: Text and readings. Sage.
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