Social Reproduction in Theory and Practice: Socialist Feminism and the Politics of Care

In 'Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women', Susan Faludi presents a detailed examination of the backlash against feminist gains of the 1970s. The book argues that this backlash, fueled by media, politics, and popular culture, blames the women's liberation movement for various problems faced by American women in the late 1980s. Faludi identifies and debunks myths such as the 'infertility epidemic' and the 'man shortage', showing how these myths were constructed and disseminated to undermine feminist progress. The book also explores historical trends of backlash following significant feminist advancements and its ongoing impact on women's rights and equality.

In this work, Friedrich Engels delves into the interplay between familial structures, economic systems, and state formation. He argues that the oppression of women and the emergence of class society are historically linked to the production of a surplus and the division of society into classes. The book also discusses how the state arose as a tool to defend the ruling class. Engels bases his analysis on the research of anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan and uses the method of historical materialism to explain these societal developments.