our androcentric culture-第29章

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associative　drawbacks；　the　〃female　mind〃　has　made　a　remarkably　good
showing。

The　field　of　politics　is　an　unfortunate　one　in　which　to　urge　this
alleged　limitation；　because　politics　is　one　of　the　few　fields　in　which
some　women　have　been　reared　and　exercised　under　equal　conditions　with
men。

We　have　had　queens　as　long　as　we　have　had　kings；　perhaps　longer；　and
history　does　not　show　the　male　mind；　in　kings；　to　have　manifested　a
numerically　proportionate　superiority　over　the　female　mind；　in　queens。　
There　have　been　more　kings　than　queens；　but　have　there　been　more　good
and　great　ones；　in　proportion？

Even　one　practical　and　efficient　queen　is　proof　enough　that　being　a
woman　does　not　preclude　political　capacity。　　Since　England　has　had　such
an　able　queen　for　so　long；　and　that　within　Mrs。　Humphry　Ward's　personal
memory；　her　position　seems　fatuous　in　the　extreme。

It　has　been　advanced　that　great　queens　owed　their　power　to　the
association　and　advice　of　the　noble　and　high…minded　men　who　surrounded
them；　and；　further；　that　the　poor　showing　made　by　many　kings；　was　due　to
the　association　and　vice　of　the　base　and　low…minded　women　who　surrounded
them。

This　is　a　particularly　pusillanimous　claim　in　the　first　place；　is　not
provable　in　the　second　place；　and；　if　it　were　true；　opens　up　a　very
pretty　field　of　study　in　the　third　place。　　It　would　seem　to　prove；　if　it
proves　anything；　that　men　are　not　fit　to　be　trusted　with　political　power
on　account　of　an　alarming　affinity　for　the　worst　of　women；　and；
conversely；　that　women；　as　commanding　the　assistance　of　the　best　of　men；
are　visibly　the　right　rulers！　　Also　it　opens　a　pleasant　sidelight　on
that　oft…recommended　tool〃feminine　influence。〃

We　now　come　to　our　opening　objection；　that　society　and　state；　home；　and
family；　are　best　served　by　the　present　division　of　interests：　and　its
corollary；　that　if　women　enlarge　that　field　of　interest　it　would　reduce
their　usefulness　in　their　present　sphere。

The　corollary　is　easily　removed。　　We　are　now　on　the　broad　ground　of
established　facts；　of　history；　recent；　but　still　achieved。

Women　have　had　equal　political　rights　with　men　in　several　places；　for
considerable　periods　of　time。　　In　Wyoming；　to　come　near　home；　they　have
enjoyed　this　status　for　more　than　a　generation。　　Neither　here　nor　in　any
other　state　or　country　where　women　vote；　is　there　the　faintest　proof　of
injury　to　the　home　or　family　relation。　　In　Wyoming；　indeed；　divorce　has
decreased；　while　gaining　so　fast　in　other　places。

Political　knowledge；　political　interest；　does　not　take　up　more　time　and
strength　than　any　other　form　of　mental　activity；　nor　does　it　preclude　a
keen　efficiency　in　other　lines；　and　as　for　the　actual　time　required　to
perform　the　average　duties　of　citizenshipit　is　a　contemptible　bit　of
trickery　in　argument；　if　not　mere　ignorance　and　confusion　of　idea；　to
urge　the　occasional　attendance　on　political　meetings；　or　the　annual　or
bi…annual　dropping　of　a　ballot；　as　any　interference　with　the　management
of　a　house。

It　is　proven；　by　years　on　years　of　established　experience；　that　women
can　enjoy　full　political　equality　and　use　their　power；　without　in　the
least　ceasing　to　be　contented　and　efficient　wives　and　mothers；　cooks　and
housekeepers。

What　really　horrifies　the　popular　mind　at　the　thought　of　women　in
politics；　is　the　picture　of　woman　as　a　〃practical　politician；〃　giving
her　time　to　it　as　a　business；　and　making　money　by　it；　in　questionable；
or　unquestionable；　ways；　and；　further；　as　a　politician　in　office；　as
sheriff；　alderman；　senator；　judge。

The　popular　mind　becomes　suffused　with　horror　at　the　first　idea；　and
scarcely　less　so　at　the　second。　　It　pictures　blushing　girlhood　on　the
Bench；　tender　motherhood　in　the　Senate；　the　housewife　turned
〃ward…heeler；〃　and　becomes　quite　sick　in　contemplation　of　these
abominations。

No　educated　mind；　practical　mind；　no　mind　able　and　willing　to　use　its
faculties；　need　be　misled　for　a　moment　by　these　sophistries。

There　is　absolutely　no　evidence　that　women　as　a　class　will　rush　into
〃practical　politics。〃　　Where　they　have　voted　longest　they　do　not
manifest　this　dread　result。　　Neither　is　there　any　proof　that　they　will
all　desire　to　hold　office；　or　that　any　considerable　portion　of　them
will；　or　that；　if　they　did；　they　would　get　it。

We　seem　unconsciously　to　assume　that　when　women　begin　to　vote；　men　will
stop；　or　that　the　women　will　outnumber　the　men；　also　that；　outnumbering
them；　they　will　be　completely　united　in　their　vote；　and；　still　further；
that　so　outnumbering　and　uniting；　they　will　solidly　vote　for　a　ticket
composed　wholly　of　women　candidates。

Does　anyone　seriously　imagine　this　to　be　likely？

This　may　be　stated　with　assurance；　if　ever　we　do　see　a　clever；
designing；　flirtatious；　man…twisting　woman；　or　a　pretty；　charming；
irresistable　young　girl；　elected　to　officeit　will　not　be　by　the　votes
of　women！

Where　women　are　elected　to　office；　by　the　votes　of　both　men　and　women；
they　are　of　suitable　age　and　abilities；　and　do　their　work　well。　　They
have　already　greatly　improved　some　of　the　conditions　of　local　politics；
and　the　legislation　they　advocate　is　of　a　beneficial　character。

What　is　the　true　relation　of　women　to　the　state？

It　is　precisely　identical　with　that　of　men。　　Their　forms　of　service　may
vary；　but　their　duty；　their　interest；　their　responsibility；　is　the　same。

Here　are　the　people　on　earth；　half　of　them　women；　all　of　them　her
children。　　It　is　her　earth　as　much　as　his；　the　people　are　their　people；
the　state　their　state；　compounded　of　them　all；　in　due　relation。

As　the　father　and　mother；　together；　shelter；　guard；　teach　and　provide
for　their　children　in　the　home；　so　should　all　fathers　and　mothers；
together；　shelter；　guard；　teach　and　provide　for　their　common　children；
the　community。

The　state　is　no　mystery；　no　taboo　place　of　masculine　secrecy；　it　is
simply　us。

Democracy　is　but　a　half…grown　child　as　yet；　one　of　twins？　　Its　boy…half
is　a　struggling　thing；　with　〃the　diseases　of　babyhood〃；　its　girl…half
has　hardly　begun　to　take　notice。

As　human　creatures　we　have　precisely　the　same　duty　and　privilege；
interest；　and　power　in　the　state；　sharing　its　protection；　its
advantages；　and　its　services。　　As　women　we　have　a　different　relation。

Here　indeed　we　will　admit；　and　glory　in；　our　〃diversity。〃　　The　〃eternal
womanly〃　is　a　far　more　useful　thing　in　the　state　than　the　〃eternal
manly。〃

To　be　woman　means　to　be　mother。　　To　be　mother　means　to　give　love；
defense；　nourishment；　care；　instruction。　　Too　long；　far　too　long　has
motherhood　neglected　its　real　social　duties；　its　duties　to　humanity　at
large。　　Even　in　her　position　of　retarded　industrial　development；　as　the
housekeeper　and　houseworker　of　the　world；　woman　has　a　contribution　of
special　value　to　the　state。

As　the　loving　mother；　the　patient　teacher；　the　tender　nurse；　the　wise
provider　and　care…taker；　she　can　serve　the　state；　and　the　state　needs
her　service。



OUR　ANDROCENTRIC　CULTURE；　OR；　THE　MAN…MADE　WORLD


XIII。

INDUSTRY　AND　ECONOMICS。


The　forest　of　Truth；　on　the　subject　of　industry　and　economics；　is
difficult　to　see　on　account　of　the　trees。

We　have　so　many　Facts　on　this　subject；　so　many　Opinions；　so　many
Traditions　and　Habits；　and　the　pressure　of　Immediate　Conclusions　is　so
intense　upon　us　all；　that　it　is　not　easy　to　form　a　clear　space　in　one's
mind　and　consider　the　field　fairly。

Possibly　the　present　treatment　of　the　subject　will　appeal　most　to　the
minds　of　those　who　know　least　about　it；　such　as　the　Average　Woman。　　To
her；　Industry　is　a　daylong　and　lifelong　duty；　as　well　as　a　natural
impulse；　and　economics　means　going　without　things。　　To　such　untrained
but　also　unprejudiced　minds　it　should　be　easy　to　show　the　main　facts　on
these　lines。

Let　us　dispose　of　Economics　first；　as　having　a　solemn　scientific
appearance。

Physical　Economics　treats　of　the　internal　affairs　of　the　body；　the　whole
machinery　and　how　it　works；　all　organs；　members；　functions；　each　last
and　littlest　capillary　and　leucocyte；　are　parts　of　that　〃economy。〃

Nature's　〃economy〃　is　not　in　the　least　〃economical。〃　　The　waste　of　life；
the　waste　of　material；　the　waste　of　time　and　effort；　are　prodig