While most people would agree that, women ‘do not have the same: career ‘ prospects as’ men of thé ‘same ‘class, many of them are convinced that this is due to some inherent biological yore psychological factors and that since the majority of women do not actively strive to change this state of affairs, that the status quo is a natural phenomenon. It is ; important, however, to realise that people's attitude ttowards..women ..... stems osen a seater Stee which has. Sewel oped over many centuerece 7 The dowiyghaaing of women beste adout 000 years: ‘ago, after the 7 agricultural: revolution, when it became possible ‘to: ‘producé surplus «food for storage and’ barter, after the domestication of ‘animals and the development of primitive crafts ‘such as weaving’ and’ pot-making all these tremendous* ‘steps’! ‘in the progress of humanity being taken ironically ‘due ‘to’ the ‘initiative of: women, In’ ‘these: ancient- societies » “hs men were usually: hunters and women gatherers; ° wheréas’ the man might return from the hunt empty-handed, the woman provided a reliable: contri® bution to the family diet, and in turn ee epee taught her: how, to: artificially cultivate oteps. a in Ss oils ‘he areas developed ditlevaiity competi tion: developed betweeh ‘thein for’ the © possession of the surplus goods produced - for’ example between the poor mountain people and the richer’ valley people, and thé acquisition op “property became an important driving force in society. This led man “iii “the warrior - to‘lay réstrictions: upon his wife’ to make‘suré that his’ ° own - children’ ‘inherited’ his ‘wéalth; Hence began’ ‘the’ Jong era: in which © + Nubaed ped Sboupied an- inferior Boedes. position, of Hovde e1oeR! to the’ pheeents! ~the* industrial’ Sevoluticn with ate erbat:? technological advances including the ‘téchniques:of cheap mass’ prose gin” could have made it possible- -for ‘women: to régain their: equality.” ‘The mass production: of foodstiffs andthe irvention of many wotk+saving : appliances should have made it possible for women to take a full part inthe economic, productive and cultural activities of the country:: which... nowadays take place outside the home, In the past women were farmers and’ eraftsmen, as wéll as mothers, industry was’ connected withthe: home; * 4° Under capitalism, ' the“home' has* ‘becotiie- ore: atid more: ‘isolated from” sociéty, thus the womian'who réemains’at hottie’ is’ “Ore Teoleted: ‘than | ever
’
“before: in the history of her Bex,
eit PE scBut “what of ‘the others,’ ‘almost ‘half mer women of wooing age ani’ "BB bARA! oo) tage in -paid ‘émployment (DEA, “report Feb. 1967) 5 ° this’ inclidés- Bott it One-third - ‘of “the ‘total number ‘of tharried’ women. *: Tradition :drid social “ prejudices ‘have ‘decreed that: thése women should’ be mainly occupied ‘in’ ioithe léss skilled. grades: of work. Also about one-third of all eniployéd petsons ‘ave women ‘arid'yet they “dre by’'no ‘means every distributed on the fea aes in the ‘jobs*in ea women - seme te. fqrty ees mien, ‘nor ~ do they ‘gét ‘the rate for the jdb.°
I think that during the coming period we will see more women working.
It has beén predicted by the Department of Economic Affairs in a report
published this February, that by 1970 some industries are likely to be
very short ‘of workers and that it will not be possible to fill this gap
without attracting more workers from the reserve of married women,
This is a cohclusion echoéd' by the Fabians and the Conservative: Party
in their recent publications, It -is the responsibility of socialists
to see that they are not employed on the same unfavourable terms ‘as
working women are at préserit, when it is estimated that only one woman
in tee gets the rate for the job (Times ile 40 67).
There: ave still Saye a few areas wheré women are able 6 aneain, equal:
pay for equal work, the most notable of these being teaching - whereas
in thé manufacturing industries full-time women workers: get less than. —
half the pay of men workers [£9 19-7 compared to "£19-9-17. It would be
wrong to think ‘that progress is inevitable in this field, for the
figures ‘show that during the last six:or seven years the wages. differ-
ential betweén women.and men’has widened. Although the correction of
this position mist be primarily the tesponsibility of women,. it ‘would:
be foolish for men not to realise-that this'is part.of their battle. for
better working conditions - for a lowering of standards for any one
section of the working class community is reflected as an overall. loss.
A widespread campaign of propaganda and action is required, which: will
cover: many: fields of activity.: .For' instance, an increase of union
‘“membership:‘on the part of: women is: obviously .desirable,. At the moment,.
whereas: about 50% of men. workers:.are: organised'<in unions. only’ .about: 25h
Jom al
‘! of women workers, are members. : What are the ‘reasons for this? I would:
suggest that they ares: :
(1) The occupational distribution of women - out of 8 million, neaey
.2-million: are’ in: clerical work, over 13:million in services’ and
vs Lmillion in sales ive. ‘shop’ assistants. -. all these areas’ have a,
“iotirad ieionally. mail tnson memberships = “even! among men. ve Bn.
z An: unwillingness ¢ on: behalf. of! the: unions: ito: fight on: i gpevi Piety:
‘yo! «+ feminine: issues -..has: there.ever been:a strike to force’ employers :
‘to Prowsde a nursery for the. children of women’ employees? : Why.
.. aren't more factories and offices being asked to follow.the example
co Of: The: Building: and: Civil‘ Engineering. Holidays Scheme Management.
viLtde:.of : Crawley, ' who: provided transport and time off for théir.
’ ,.women: employees over.35: to. be: screened: for cervical'.cancer,: When «
‘o vmustsfaetories have a.mass ‘radiography : unit visit them these dae oii
-yht-would seem:a loginal exensicn of health and . Baletys schemes.
Another important ‘Stes in the La ae ee of women can be sakeen by an
examinationi.of the: interests,served by the traditional housewife: and
mother. images. Because. women ‘and their :husbands: cannot, bring themselves °
to: admit.the:value- and importance of a woman's work: outside the home :
" they underestimate,:its worth ‘financially and women become a source: of
Shes: anene whigh . can: abe- taken: on and Pat off at ‘the employers: fancy.
re aie Lae ee ean eae " :/oontinued overs
Although 90% of women working are doing so-not out of interest. but because they need the money, a husband still 1 feels that he should be able to support his wife and family alone and the family i is reluctant to engage in activity which would:indicate that the situation. is otherwise, e.g. strikes or the wife signing on at the labour exchange. So who benefits from this attitude - the employers only. We must examine all the symptoms of exploitation and oppression and convince both men and women of. their truth - .this can.often be done by analogy with other groups of.second class citizens e.g, negroes, where the case can be seen more, easily... Also ‘we must: publicise ‘the; contribution which women have, maidige to “the ‘Progress of. ‘humanity both. gis famous Jones, | Hinade ond ones and - ‘unnamed. ‘women, . “such as. those eae fought for ‘and obtained the ten-hour working week:in the U.S.A. .and the women who built the many-storied. houses .of New Mexico :and Arizona, where constmiction is a feninige: ‘prerogative. « 2 SLs gaaqcos® INTERNATTONALTSM AND THR ‘COMMON MARKED. By = “Richard asopieie,
In ‘the: Guardian (20.4467); -it. was reported. that: twenty five: back: berich: Labour M.Ps. broadly. on: the Left. ‘and Left of centre, issued 4 statement. supporting British. entry into.the E.E.C.: They: said they wanted; to. counter the’ impression: that Labour's: left-wing :was: united in wanting .to' keep Britain out, Their statement said that: the wmification: of Europe,.:both economically and politically, had long been desired by thase who believed ‘that inter~ at was es to pooltst philosophy. It is not: suromieinee that: Various: sections of. the Labour Party should — support; entry “into;:the E.E.G..In.fact, itis the! next logicali step, to their efforts to rationalise British: Capitalism.in the interests of: the: British Monopolies, that they should then go on to seck its wider rationisation in the ‘interests ,of. the ‘htige internationali monopélies, What>is! disturbing is that they should: try, to delude: apenseieer rach the angemenstst quoting’ the: interestore ven) of Socialism : : SRLS Od The internationalism, whewe! definition: that, iinleh ip hot naticieldsn, has no relation to Socialist phildsophy.-or aniyi other political philosophy, because it is .a:definition which has:no political content whatsoever, The analogy is. the.internationalisation’ of: the:U.S. War of Agressién’ inVietnam by the presence: of. Australian,. New Zealand::and: South Korean troops’ and the possthte introduction os lareiate TLOOpS | in eg pECpems Unfortunately, .some | Of “thes: thon Babes Me Ps, -are= 8: :pemtibated: witht 4 confusion .of terms, that: theilLatter:is also:a:logical::conclusién for: san, and it-has been public:!pressure::akone which has stopped ‘its’ ‘impleméntation. The true internationalist. position in .Vietnam:‘is:.theintérnational support of the Vietnamese fighters against the U.S. Aggressors. ‘The ‘corresponding position with regard to the Common Market is: Support the working classes of Britain and E.E.C.:‘countries against the forces of international monopoly capitalism.