The Feminist Manifesto How and why to rescue feminism from the Left Raina Clampitt
Modern feminist thought has been carousing in Karl Marx’s bed for simply too long. Enlightened women have called, and they want Adam Smith in town.
In an attempt to rectify past discrimination and inequity against the fairer sex, feminists lobbied for the creation of legislation to guarantee a "socially-just" outcome. Despite this trajectory being the antithesis of free market ideals, these laws were somehow expected to enhance the financial power of women. Women, who had been historically disadvantaged by their “oppressors”, namely men, supposedly now could stand tall and firm in the workplace, all with a little help from her Socialist-friendly legislation and public policy.
Those sympathetic to these goals would question the wisdom of abolishing these gender ‘equalizers’, as surely they are just looking after women, right? (Insert patriarchal nod here.) But the impact of this blatant state-sponsored gender privilege has wormed its way into the average woman’s life in a decidedly less empowering manner.
Legislative and social reform ploys, ranging from affirmative action to state sponsored quota mandates for female placement in the public sector, have stripped away any semblance of professional credibility that modern women can gain. Feigning equality for all, these policies have allowed society to swap meritocracy and individual responsibility for socialism, and to women’s financial, professional, social and personal detriment.
Some may argue that without active pro-female policies, women may either be displaced or ignored professionally, and will be unable to break through the proverbial glass ceiling. Yet, interestingly enough, the undercurrent of these policies is really a nod to the godfather of Patriarchy himself: Marx. How small of an opinion society must have of women, if legislation must be in place to facilitate our professional growth and advancement.
Meritocracy directly facilitates the upward mobility of women in the workforce and reduces some or even all of the personal insecurity women face. With the avoidance of the 'socially just’ placement of women in the market through gender privilege, a far more efficient means of accomplishing placement of women in society develops via the market force itself. The fluidity of the market forces women to adapt, either by choosing a career in an underrepresented field or obtaining an advanced degree. Both are advantageous to societal innovation as a whole.
Socialism and its permeation into the workplace has also diminished our accomplishments in society. Quandaries whether a woman has achieved a certain position because of merit or instead the contrived placement to fill a mandated quota are at the crux of such policies. Society is forced to wonder if a woman is truly qualified for a position, and rightly so.
A meritocracy-based system rids the workplace and society of any questions relating to a woman’s presence in the professional realm. She advances in the workplace, just like the male CEO down the hall, due simply to her proven ability, education and uncompromised work ethic.
Creating an indelible mark in a professional sense, solely on her own merit, is integral to the many facets that compose the female self. A woman’s sense of accomplishment and pride is inextricably tied to her self-esteem. Her success in her chosen profession, as in other realms, benefits her in many ways, from the enhancement of personal relationships to her concept of selfhood. She is no longer dependant on a system constructed by gender privilege. She is reliant only upon herself.
Who is the enlightened woman of modern society? She is an entrepreneur who discards the victim mentality, along with her Che Guevara poster. She accelerates the upward mobility of her career through merit, instead of loafing around on the Affirmative Action couch. She relishes the contrasting shades of masculine and feminine sides of men and women, respectively, and refuses to blame men for all societal wrongs in this world.
She rejects the notion that capitalism is a modern form of patriarchal oppression, because she realizes that the market is amoral and a mere reflection of societal wants and needs. She opposes legislation and policy that is inherently discriminative of any sex. She refuses to allow her innate ability and intelligence to be disregarded with the advent of laws that aim to “protect” women.
Socialism has shackled women far too long to Marx’s bedpost. It is time we are set free.
