Women ofWomen of Color Critiques ofColor Critiques ofCapitalism and the StateCapitalism and the State

WMST 60WMST 60Professor Miller-YoungProfessor Miller-Young

Week 2Week 2

QuestionsQuestions toto ConsiderConsider•• Why are WOCF writers critical ofWhy are WOCF writers critical of

capitalism and thecapitalism and the state?state?•• How do economic, political or socialHow do economic, political or social

institutions, policies, and discoursesinstitutions, policies, and discoursesaffect WOC in the U.S.?affect WOC in the U.S.?

•• How doHow do WOCF writers address theWOCF writers address theeveryday personal experience ofeveryday personal experience ofoppression and resistance?oppression and resistance?

Feminism in the U.S.Feminism in the U.S.•• Social movement, historical activismSocial movement, historical activism•• EpistemologyEpistemology, mode of analysis, mode of analysis or inquiryor inquiry•• Critique of gender hierarchy, Critique of gender hierarchy, patriarchypatriarchy, that, that

privileges men and subordinates womenprivileges men and subordinates women•• Vision of social justice centering womenVision of social justice centering women•• ““Personal is politicalPersonal is political””--The --The ““intimacy ofintimacy of

powerpower””-- even -- even ““privateprivate”” experience has experience haspolitical importancepolitical importance

WOC FeminismWOC Feminism•• Legacy of activism rooted in racial justice andLegacy of activism rooted in racial justice and

progressive social movementsprogressive social movements•• Critique of monolithic sisterhood, exclusion, andCritique of monolithic sisterhood, exclusion, and

prejudice in the womenprejudice in the women’’s movements movement•• Critique of sexism and heterosexism in racialCritique of sexism and heterosexism in racial

justice social movements and communitiesjustice social movements and communities•• Critique of interlocking systems of dominance,Critique of interlocking systems of dominance,

including gender, but also race and classincluding gender, but also race and class•• Influenced byInfluenced by Marxism and anti-colonial strugglesMarxism and anti-colonial struggles•• Vision of justice and freedom addressing theVision of justice and freedom addressing the

““personalpersonal”” and intimate operations of race, class, and intimate operations of race, class,and genderand gender

SystemsSystems of Oppression of Oppression•• Racial subordination,Racial subordination, gender hierarchy, andgender hierarchy, and

capitalist exploitation are seen as, interlocking,capitalist exploitation are seen as, interlocking,simultaneous,simultaneous, and mutually reinforcing and mutually reinforcingstructures of oppression.structures of oppression.

HowHow do these systems of power affect WOC?do these systems of power affect WOC?•• Poverty,Poverty, labor exploitation,labor exploitation, unequal access tounequal access to

resourcesresources•• Sexualized violence and controlSexualized violence and control•• Immigration policy, Colonialism, NationalismImmigration policy, Colonialism, Nationalism•• CriminalizationCriminalization•• Globalization, Globalization, NeoliberalismNeoliberalism

WOC SocialiWOC Socialist Critiquest Critique““We realize that the liberation of all oppressedWe realize that the liberation of all oppressedpeoples necessitates the destruction of the political-peoples necessitates the destruction of the political-economic systems of capitalism and imperialism aseconomic systems of capitalism and imperialism aswell as patriarchy. We are socialists because wewell as patriarchy. We are socialists because webelieve the work must be organized for the collectivebelieve the work must be organized for the collectivebenefit of those who do the work and create thebenefit of those who do the work and create theproducts, and not for the profit of the bosses. Materialproducts, and not for the profit of the bosses. Materialresources must be equally distributed among thoseresources must be equally distributed among thosewho create these resources. We are not convinced,who create these resources. We are not convinced,however, that a socialist revolution that is not also ahowever, that a socialist revolution that is not also afeminist and antiracist revolution will guarantee ourfeminist and antiracist revolution will guarantee ourliberation.liberation.””

-- -- Combahee Combahee River Collective StatementRiver Collective Statement

Defining CapitalismDefining Capitalism

•• An economic system in which wealth, and the means of producingAn economic system in which wealth, and the means of producingwealth, are privately owned and controlled rather than publicly or state-wealth, are privately owned and controlled rather than publicly or state-owned and controlled.owned and controlled.

•• In capitalism, the land, labor, capital and all other resources, are owned,In capitalism, the land, labor, capital and all other resources, are owned,operated and traoperated and traded by private individuals or corporations for theded by private individuals or corporations for thepurpose of profit. Investments, production, goods, commodities andpurpose of profit. Investments, production, goods, commodities andservices are primarily determined by private interests in a marketservices are primarily determined by private interests in a marketeconomy largeconomy largely free of government intervention.ely free of government intervention.

•• Each person owns his or her own labor and therefore is allowed to sellEach person owns his or her own labor and therefore is allowed to sellthe use of it to employers.the use of it to employers.

Capitalism & GenderCapitalism & Gender

•• U.S. economic interests shape domestic andU.S. economic interests shape domestic and internationalinternational policy, andpolicy, andwomen workerswomen workers’’ everyday lives as they are compelled to work for everyday lives as they are compelled to work forsurvival.survival.

•• Capitalist economic system shapes public and private life through classCapitalist economic system shapes public and private life through classsystem and system and ““freefree laborlabor”” markets. markets.

•• Economy is gendered: gendering ofEconomy is gendered: gendering of work, wealth, capital, finance, &work, wealth, capital, finance, &economic policies.economic policies.

•• CapitalismCapitalism supports patriarchy, by providing a means to privilege forsupports patriarchy, by providing a means to privilege for(some) men, while encouraging dependency in women.(some) men, while encouraging dependency in women.

•• Feminization of Poverty-- women as particularly vulnerable to poverty dueFeminization of Poverty-- women as particularly vulnerable to poverty dueto being paid less and working more (including unpaid domestic labor),to being paid less and working more (including unpaid domestic labor),and as a consequence, less assets and wealth over their lives.and as a consequence, less assets and wealth over their lives.

Globalization & Globalization & NeoliberalismNeoliberalism•• Neoliberalism Neoliberalism (the dominant form of modern capitalism)(the dominant form of modern capitalism)

includes a basic interest in laissez faire capitalistincludes a basic interest in laissez faire capitalisteconomics, free trade policies, and the promotion ofeconomics, free trade policies, and the promotion ofneo-conservativeneo-conservative ideology. ideology.

•• The expansion of The expansion of neoliberal neoliberal policiespolicies to the developing,to the developing,Third World, is a primary feature ofThird World, is a primary feature of globalization.globalization.

•• For developing countries, For developing countries, neoliberal neoliberal policies arepolicies areenforced by international lenders, investors, andenforced by international lenders, investors, andWestern nations (seen as imperialist).Western nations (seen as imperialist).

•• Structural Adjustment Programs (Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPsSAPs)) : creation of: creation offree trade zones, currency devaluation, free trade zones, currency devaluation, deregulation,deregulation,privatization, privatization, commericalization commericalization of agriculture, of agriculture, cuts incuts inwages and social programs (austerity), suppression ofwages and social programs (austerity), suppression ofsocial movements (i.e. unionsocial movements (i.e. union, , labor, indigenous andlabor, indigenous andwomenwomen’’s rights movements), militarization, etc.s rights movements), militarization, etc.

Globalization, Globalization, NeoliberalismNeoliberalism, & Gender, & Gender•• Women, traditionally expected toWomen, traditionally expected to

perform household labor,perform household labor, are theare themajority of low wage workers formajority of low wage workers formultinational corporations.multinational corporations.

•• Gendered migration separatesGendered migration separatesfamilies, adds load to women.families, adds load to women.

•• Poverty wages,Poverty wages, excessiveexcessiveworking hours, dangerousworking hours, dangerousconditions, little benefits (likeconditions, little benefits (likeleave time, training, or childleave time, training, or childcare), harassment andcare), harassment andintimidation are common forintimidation are common forwomen of color and Third Worldwomen of color and Third Worldwomen working in women working in globalizedglobalizedindustries. Few workerindustries. Few workerprotections.protections.

The U.S. & Mexican WomenThe U.S. & Mexican Women

•• Mexican women are harmed by U.S. imperialism, and the politics of theMexican women are harmed by U.S. imperialism, and the politics of theborder, since the U.S. took Texas (1836) and the rest of the Mexicanborder, since the U.S. took Texas (1836) and the rest of the Mexicanterritory in the West during the Mexican American War (1845-48).territory in the West during the Mexican American War (1845-48).

•• Mexican women cross the border for work and family: Mexican women cross the border for work and family: ““farm workerfarm workermothers, railroad wives, minersmothers, railroad wives, miners’’ daughters, daughters,”” ““backbone of many of thebackbone of many of thelowest paying, most backbreaking jobslowest paying, most backbreaking jobs”” in the Southwest, agribusiness, in the Southwest, agribusiness,food processing, garment, technology, domestic service industries.food processing, garment, technology, domestic service industries.

•• The Border Industrialization ProgramThe Border Industrialization Program (1965) set up (1965) set up maquiladorasmaquiladoras,,export assembly plants of transnational corps or their subsidiaries.export assembly plants of transnational corps or their subsidiaries.Accelerated internal and cross border migration.Accelerated internal and cross border migration. Now more than 11,000Now more than 11,000maquiladoras maquiladoras on the Mexico-U.S.on the Mexico-U.S. border.border.

NeoliberalNeoliberalii sm sm & Immigration& Immigration•• With NAFTA, a With NAFTA, a neoliberal neoliberal tradetrade

agreement,agreement, U.S. sought toU.S. sought toemploy cheap labor in Mexicoemploy cheap labor in Mexicowhile preventing Mexicanwhile preventing Mexican workers workersfrom immigrating to the U.S. forfrom immigrating to the U.S. forwork. The U.S. doubled the INSwork. The U.S. doubled the INSbudget and instituted the 1996budget and instituted the 1996Illegal ImmigrationIllegal Immigration Reform andReform andImmigrant Responsibility Act.Immigrant Responsibility Act.

•• 4/10 illegal4/10 illegal migrants are frommigrants are from thethesouth, and 85% of the policing issouth, and 85% of the policing ison the U.S.-Mexico border.on the U.S.-Mexico border.

•• Policies negatively impacts onPolicies negatively impacts onmigrant Mexican women,migrant Mexican women,including criminalization, abuse,including criminalization, abuse,labor exploitation, social andlabor exploitation, social andeconomic hardship, and health.economic hardship, and health.

Fighting Back! How Do WomenFighting Back! How Do Women Respond to theRespond to theForces of Globalization and Forces of Globalization and NeoliberalismNeoliberalism??

•• Fuerza Unida Fuerza Unida (San Antonio), La (San Antonio), La MujerMujerObrera Obrera (El Paso), and the Thai and Latino(El Paso), and the Thai and LatinoWorkers Organizing Committee (L.A.) areWorkers Organizing Committee (L.A.) areexamples of womenexamples of women’’s activist organizationss activist organizationsfighting for better working conditions, wages,fighting for better working conditions, wages,and benefits, the right to unionizeand benefits, the right to unionize andandcollective bargaining for workers,collective bargaining for workers, and toand toexpand opportunities to educate andexpand opportunities to educate andemotionally support immigrant womenemotionally support immigrant womenworkers.workers.

•• Groups address racial, ethnic, class, andGroups address racial, ethnic, class, andgendered dimensions of labor exploitationgendered dimensions of labor exploitationand promote aand promote a woman-centered, activistwoman-centered, activistconsciousness.consciousness.

•• ResistResist neoliberal neoliberal globalization policies thatglobalization policies thatexploit workingexploit working women.women.

•• Emphasize mutual support and solidarityEmphasize mutual support and solidarityover competition between groups of womenover competition between groups of womenworkers.workers.