Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 23. September 12 1977
The Rise of Class-Fall of Woman
The Rise of Class-Fall of Woman
However in raising democratic demands on these issues mentioned as well as re-educating men to adjust to womans new and equal role, the womans movement must never forget the origins of their oppression it was when private property developed and society became divided into classes that women became oppressed not only sexually but as part of a class. The concubine was not only female and exploited as such, she was also a slave. Even if we are able to see all our demands realised within the existing economic system the great majority of women would still be exploited. Is our aim to have women managers ordering the very lives of their workers, men and women? Women bosses, who exploit other peoples labour to benefit themselves? Women Prime Ministers, forcing down the standards of living of working people in order to make more profit for the employer Or do we agree with one of the speakers at the 1977 United Womens Convention who said "We are not interested in half the pie. The pie is rotten and we want to make a new one"? If the womens movement is not just interested in achieving equal oppression of all, regardless of sex, this question will have to be considered urgently and the strategy of our different organisations changed accordingly.