The Gender Transition from Feudalism to Capitalism
Feb 27, 2024
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Discover how capitalism reshaped gender roles by shifting from feudalism, explore the division of tasks between men and women in different communities, and learn about the impact of transitioning on wealth distribution and societal structures. Uncover the evolution of gender dynamics from historical societies to modern times, reflecting on the challenges and changes in traditional gender norms and relationships.
Feudalism viewed working for a wage as a sign of poverty, while capitalism commodified labor, reshaping gender roles.
Women experienced displacement from traditional roles due to the rise of wage labor, becoming relegated to reproductive duties.
Capitalism replaced traditional gender norms with a focus on consumption and identity, leading to a crisis in societal roles.
Deep dives
Shift from Feudalism to Capitalism
The transition from feudalism to capitalism is marked by key changes including taxes being paid in money, the enclosure of the commons leading to wage labor, and centralization. The movement towards a centralized economic model indicates a shift towards treating labor as a commodity and the rise of a climate focused on money as the chief purpose of life.
Impact on Women and Gender Roles
Women were disproportionately affected by these changes, being pushed out of traditional female practices like brewing beer due to the rise of wage labor. As women lost access to their traditional roles, they were relegated to the role of reproducing the workforce, with state concerns now focused on women's reproduction as a means to achieve economic ends. This led to an increasing regulation of women's lives and an infantilization of their roles.
State's Role in Regulating Gender
The state began to intervene in regulating gender roles, criminalizing activities such as prostitution that stemmed from increased poverty and restricting women's participation in various spheres like midwifery. There was a cultural and legal infantilization of women with propaganda depicting women as volatile and in need of containment. Regulations aimed at defining and enforcing gender roles primarily centered around women's reproductive functions.
Economic Side of Protestantism
The economic shifts coincided with the religious changes of the Reformation, including the seizure of church lands and the banning of religious orders. This translated into a view that women were primarily needed for the increase of the human race, aligning with Luther's perspective. The state's focus on justifying women's roles based on reproductive functions reflects an economic aspect of Protestant beliefs.
Transition from Feudalism to Capitalism Shaping Gender Norms
The podcast delves into how the transition from feudalism to capitalism has influenced traditional gender norms. It highlights that gender roles were once based on work and reproduction for the labor force. As capitalism progressed, the functionalization of gender and isolation from meaningful work reshaped societal views on gender roles, leading to a crisis in traditional norms.
Conflation of Consumption and Production Shifting Gender Dynamics
The episode explores how a shift towards a consumptive society has blurred the lines between traditional gender roles. With the decline of industrial work and outsourcing of labor, traditional gender norms tied to specific job roles have lost relevance. This shift has led to a crisis of belonging and purpose, with individuals seeking identity and meaning through consumption rather than traditional work-based roles. The influence of capitalism in creating new desires and markets has further complicated gender dynamics and societal norms.
Modern economics takes the wage for granted, but during the feudal era, working for a wage was considered a sign of poverty. What changed? And how did this shift in economics shift gender roles? Join Marc Barnes and Maria Brandell as they discuss how capitalism rewrote our modern conception of gender.
