What is marxist feminist theory
Marxist feminist theory combines elements of Marxism and feminism to analyze the oppression and inequalities experienced by women within capitalist societies. This theory is grounded in the belief that capitalism perpetuates women's subordination by exploiting their unpaid or underpaid labor and reinforcing traditional gender roles.
Marxist feminists argue that the capitalist system prioritizes the accumulation of profit through the exploitation of workers, and this includes the exploitation of women's unpaid domestic labor and their underpaid labor in the workforce. They argue that women, particularly working-class women, face double exploitation – as wage earners and as reproducers of labor power within the private sphere.
Marxist feminist theory also emphasizes the intersectionality of gender oppression with other forms of oppression, such as race, class, and sexuality. It recognizes that women's experiences are shaped by multiple intersecting systems of power and oppression, and that the struggle for women's liberation must be linked to broader struggles for social and economic justice.
Through its analysis, Marxist feminist theory aims to challenge and transform the capitalist system, advocating for both gender equality and the abolition of class exploitation. It often calls for collective action, solidarity, and the establishment of socialist or communist societies as a means to achieve women's liberation.