our androcentric culture-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　these　accompanying　efforts　to　heal　and　save。

But　in　our　politics　there　is　not　even　provision　for　a　nursing　corps；
women　are　absolutely　excluded。

〃They　cannot　play　the　game！〃　cries　the　practical　politician。　　There　is
loud　talk　of　the　defilement；　the　〃dirty　pool〃　and　its　resultant
darkening　of　fair　reputations；　the　total　unfitness　of　lovely　woman　to
take　part　in　〃the　rough　and　tumble　of　politics。〃

In　other　words　men　have　made　a　human　institution　into　an　ultra…masculine
performance；　and；　quite　rightly；　feel　that　women　could　not　take　part　in
politics　_as　men　do。_　　That　it　is　not　necessary　to　fulfill　this　human
custom　in　so　masculine　a　way　does　not　occur　to　them。　　Few　men　can
overlook　the　limitations　of　their　sex　and　see　the　truth；　that　this
business　of　taking　care　of　our　common　affairs　is　not　only　equally　open
to　women　and　men；　but　that　women　are　distinctly　needed　in　it。

Anyone　will　admit　that　a　government　wholly　in　the　hands　of　women　would
be　helped　by　the　assistance　of　men；　that　a　gynaecocracy　must；　of　its　own
nature；　be　one　sided。　　Yet　it　is　hard　to　win　reluctant　admission　of　the
opposite　fact；　that　an　androcracy　must　of　its　own　nature　be　one　sided
also；　and　would　be　greatly　improved　by　the　participation　of　the　other
sex。

The　inextricable　confusion　of　politics　and　warfare　is　part　of　the
stumbling　block　in　the　minds　of　men。　　As　they　see　it；　a　nation　is
primarily　a　fighting　organization；　and　its　principal　business　is
offensive　and　defensive　warfare；　therefore　the　ultimatum　with　which　they
oppose　the　demand　for　political　equality〃women　cannot　fight；　therefore
they　cannot　vote。〃

Fighting；　when　all　is　said；　is　to　them　the　real　business　of　life；　not　to
be　able　to　fight　is　to　be　quite　out　of　the　running；　and　ability　to　solve
our　growing　mass　of　public　problems；　questions　of　health；　of　education；
of　morals；　of　economics；　weighs　naught　against　the　ability　to　kill。

This　naive　assumption　of　supreme　value　in　a　process　never　of　the　first
importance；　and　increasingly　injurious　as　society　progresses；　would　be
laughable　if　it　were　not　for　its　evil　effects。　　It　acts　and　reacts　upon
us　to　our　hurt。　　Positively；　we　see　the　ill　effects　already　touched　on；
the　evils　not　only　of　active　war；　but　of　the　spirit　and　methods　of　war；
idealized；　inculcated　and　practiced　in　other　social　processes。　　It　tends
to　make　each　man…managed　nation　an　actual　or　potential　fighting
organization；　and　to　give　us；　instead　of　civilized　peace；　that　〃balance
of　power〃　which　is　like　the　counted　time　in　the　prize　ringonly　a　rest
between　combats。

It　leaves　the　weaker　nations　to　be　〃conquered〃　and　〃annexed〃　just　as
they　used　to　be；　with　tariffs　instead　of　tribute。　　It　forces　upon　each
the　burden　of　armament；　upon　many　the　dreaded　conscription；　and
continually　lowers　the　world's　resources　in　money　and　in　life。

Similarly　in　politics；　it　adds　to　the　legitimate　expenses　of　governing
the　illegitimate　expenses　of　fighting；　and　must　needs　have　a　〃spoils
system〃　by　which　to　pay　its　mercenaries。

In　carrying　out　the　public　policies　the　wheels　of　state　are　continually
clogged　by　the　〃opposition；〃　always　an　opposition　on　one　side　or　the
other；　and　this　slow　wiggling　uneven　progress；　through　shorn　victories
and　haggling　concessions；　is　held　to　be　the　proper　and　only　political
method。

〃Women　do　not　understand　politics；〃　we　are　told；　〃Women　do　not　care　for
politics；〃　〃Women　are　unfitted　for　politics。〃

It　is　frankly　inconceivable；　from　the　androcentric　view…point；　that
nations　can　live　in　peace　together；　and　be　friendly　and　serviceable　as
persons　are。　　It　is　inconceivable　also；　that　in　the　management　of　a
nation；　honesty；　efficiency；　wisdom；　experience　and　love　could　work　out
good　results　without　any　element　of　combat。

The　〃ultimate　resort〃　is　still　to　arms。　　〃The　will　of　the　majority〃　is
only　respected　on　account　of　the　guns　o？the　majority。　　We　have　but　a
partial　civilization；　heavily　modified　to　sexthe　male　sex。



WOMAN　AND　THE　STATE


＇A　Discussion　of　Political　Equality　of　Men　and　Women。　　To　be　read　in
connection　with　chapter　12　of　Our　Androcentric　Culture。＇

Here　are　two　vital　factors　in　human　life；　one　a　prime　essential　to　our
existence；　the　other　a　prime　essential　to　our　progress。

Both　of　them　we　idealize　in　certain　lines；　and　exploit　in　others。　　Both
of　them　are　misinterpreted；　balked　of　their　full　usefulness；　and
humanity　thus　injured。

The　human　race　does　not　get　the　benefit　of　the　full　powers　of　women；　nor
of　the　full　powers　of　the　state。

In　all　civilized　races　to…day　there　is　a　wide　and　growing　sense　of
discontent　among　women；　a　criticism　of　their　assigned　limitations；　and　a
demand　for　larger　freedom　and　opportunity。　　Under　different　conditions
the　demand　varies；　it　is　here　for　higher　education；　there　for　justice
before　the　law；　here　for　economic　independence；　and　there　for　political
equality。

This　last　is　at　present　the　most　prominent　Issue　of　〃the　woman　question〃
in　England　and　America；　as　the　activity　of　the　〃militant　suffragists〃
has　forced　it　upon　the　attention　of　the　world。

Thoughtful　people　in　general　are　now　studying　this　point　more　seriously
than　ever　before；　genuinely　anxious　to　adopt　the　right　side；　and　there
is　an　alarmed　uprising　of　sincere　objection　to　the　political　equality　of
women。

Wasting　no　time　on　ignorance；　prejudice；　or　the　resistance　of　special
interests；　let　us　fairly　face　the　honest　opposition；　and　do　it　justice。

The　conservative　position　is　this：

Men　and　women　have　different　spheres　in　life。　　To　men　belong　the
creation　and　management　of　the　state；　and　the　financial　maintenance　of
the　home　and　family：

〃To　women　belong　the　physical　burden　of　maternity；　and　the　industrial
management　of　the　home　and　family；　these　duties　require　all　their　time
and　strength：

〃The　prosperity　of　the　state　may　be　sufficiently　conserved　by　men　alone；
the　prosperity　of　the　family　requires　the　personal　presence　and　services
of　the　mother　in　the　home：　if　women　assume　the　cares　of　the　state；　the
home　and　family　will　suffer：

Some　go　even　farther　than　this；　and　claim　an　essential　limitation　in
〃the　female　mind〃　which　prevents　it　from　grasping　large　political
interests；　holding；　therefore；　that　if　women　took　part　in　state　affairs
it　would　be　to　the　detriment　of　the　community：

Others　advance　a　theory　that　〃society；〃　in　the　special　sense；　is　the
true　sphere　of　larger　service　for　women；　and　that　those　of　them　not
exclusively　confined　to　〃home　duties〃　may　find　full　occupation　in
〃social　duties；〃　including　the　time　honored　fields　of　〃religion〃　and
〃charity〃：

Others　again　place　their　main　reliance　on　the　statement　that；　as　to　the
suffrage；　〃women　do　not　want　it。〃

Let　us　consider　these　points　in　inverse　order；　beginning　with　the　last
one。

We　will　admit　that　at　present　the　majority　of　women　are　not　consciously
desirous　of　any　extension　of　their　political　rights　and　privileges；　but
deny　that　this　indifference　is　any　evidence　against　the　desirability　of
such　extension。

It　has　long　been　accepted　that　the　position　of　women　is　an　index　of
civilization。　　Progressive　people　are　proud　of　the　freedom　and　honor
given　their　women；　and　our　nation　honestly　believes　itself　the　leader　in
this　line。　　〃American　women　are　the　freest　in　the　world！〃　we　say；　and
boast　of　it。

Since　the　agitation　for　women's　rights　began；　many　concessions　have　been
made　to　further　improve　their　condition。　　Men；　seeing　the　justice　of
certain　demands；　have　granted　in　many　states　such　privileges　as
admission　to　schools；　colleges；　universities；　and　special　instruction
for　professions；　followed　by　admission　to　the　bar；　the　pulpit；　and　the
practice　of　medicine。　　Married　women；　in　many　states；　have　now　a　right
to　their　own　earnings；　and　in　a　few；　mothers　have　an　equal　right　in　the
guardianship　of　their　children。

We　are　proud　and　glad　that　our　women　are　free　to　go　unveiled；　to　travel
alone；　to　choose　their　own　husbands；　we　are　proud　and　glad　of　every
extension　of　justice　already　granted　by　men　to　women。

Now：Have　any　of　these　concessions　been　granted　because　a　majority　of
women　asked　for　them？　　Was　it　advanced　in　opposition　to　any　of　them　that
〃women　did　not　want　it？〃　　Have　as　many　women　ever　asked　for　these　things
as　are　now　asking　for　the　ballot？　　If　it　was　desirable　to　grant　these
other　rights　and　privileges　without　the　demand　of　a　majority；　why　is　the
demand　of　a　majority　required　before　this　one　is　granted？

The　child　widows　of　India　did　not　unitedly　demand　the　abolition　of　the
〃suttee。〃

The　tortured　girl　children　of　China　did　not　rise　in　overwhelming
majority　to　demand　free　feet；　yet　surely　no　one　would　refuse　to　lift
these　burdens　because　only　a　minority　of　progressive　women　insisted　on
justice。

It　is　a　sociological　impossibility　that　a　majority　of　an　unorganized
class　should　unite　in　concerted　demand　for　a　right；　a　duty；　which　they
have　never　known。

The　point　to　be　decided　is　whether　political　equality　is　to　the
advantage　of　women　and　of　the　statenot　whether　either；　as　a　body；　is
asking　for　it。

Now　for　the　〃society〃　theory。　　There　is　a　venerable　fiction　to　the
effect　that　women　makeand　manage；　〃society。〃　　No　careful　student　of
comparative　history　can　hold　this　belief　for　a　moment。　　Whatever　the
conditions　of　the　age　or　place；　industrial；　financial；　religious；
political；　educational；　these　conditions　are　in　the　hands　of　men；　and
these　conditions　dictate　the　〃society〃　of　that　age　or　place。

〃Society〃　in　a　constitutional　monarchy　is　one　thing；　in　a　primitive
despotism　another；　among　millionaires　a　third；　but　women　do　not　make　the
despotism；　the　monarchy；　or　the　millions。　　They　take　social　conditions
as　provided　by　men；　precisely　as　they　take　all　other　conditions　at　their
hands。　　They　do　not　even　modify　an　existing　society　to　their　own
interests；　being　powerless　to　do　so。　　The　〃double　standard　of　morals；〃
ruling　everywhere　in　〃society；〃　proves　this；　as　does　the　comparative
helplessness　of　women　to　enjoy　even　social　entertainments；　without　the
constant　attendance　and　invitation　of　men。

Even　in　its　great　function　of　exhibition　leading　to　marriage；　it　is　the
girls　who　are　trained　and　exhibited；　under　closest　surveillance；　while
the　men　stroll　in　and　out；　to　chose　at　will；　under　no　surveillance
whatever。

That　women；　otherwise　powerful；　may　use　〃society〃　to　further　their　ends；
is　as　true　as　that　men　do；　and　in　England；　where　women；　through　their
titled　and　landed　position；　have　always　had　more　political　power　than
here；　〃society〃　is　a　very　useful　vehicle　for　the　activities　of　both
sexes。

But；　in　the　main；　the　opportunities　of　〃society〃　to　women；　are　merely
opportunities　to　use　their　〃feminine　influence〃　in　extra　domestic
linesa　very　questionable　advantage　to　the　home　and　family；　to
motherhood；　to　women；　or　to　the　state。

In　religion　women　have　always　filled　and　more　than　filled　the　place
allowed　them。　　Needless　to　say　it　was　a　low　one。　　The　power　of　the
church；　its　whole　management　and　emoluments；　were　always　in　the　hands　of
men；　save　when　the　Lady　Abbess　held　her　partial　sway；　but　the　work　of
the　church　has　always　been　helped　by　womenthe　men　have　preached　and
the　women　practised！

Charity；　as　a　vo