Women in Male-Dominated Society

Introduction 

Historically, women have occupied a controversial position within their societies. With the institutions of patriarchy and gender roles, they have been pushed to the periphery with men controlling the most important activities and processes within the society. Most fundamentally, women were viewed as domestic workers, wives, and sexual objects. On the contrary, the work of production was left to men. However, towards the end of the 19 th century, the position of women began to slowly change as they were increasingly incorporated into the essential roles of the society. Alexandra Kollontai paints a woman whose importance is slowly increasing in the family setting. On the other hand, the Nazi regime saw women play vital roles in the community. Although the two texts give a different picture of women revolution, they both reflect on the emancipation of the woman from inferiority and the new mission they had in the respective societies. 

Similarities 

The two texts agree on the value of women in building the family and the society at large. In “The Call to Arms,” Joseph Goebbels in his speech notes that “although I agree with Treitschke that men make history; I do not forget that women raise boys to manhood” (A Call to Arms). Therefore, the Nazi community had a special regard for women who were mandated with the role of overseeing growth and development of people in the society. Similarly, Kollontai paints a paradigm shift of a society where the woman had a more important and valued position in the family organization. He notes that “the typical family where the woman had no will of her own, no time of her own and no money of her own, is changing before our very eyes” (Kollontai, 1920). Kollontai therefore believes that women have a new form of empowerment that has leveraged their position within their family settings. 

The second significant similarity between the two texts is that they recall the tumultuous journey that the woman has experienced towards emancipation. In both societies, the freedom or emancipation of women from the realms of patriarchy did not come easy. In “A Call to Arms,” Goebbels agrees that woman have been kept away from political participation when he says that “we have kept women out of the parliamentary-democratic intrigues of the past fourteen years in Germany…” (A Call to Arms) he also appreciates the fact that women have acted as the sexual companion of the women. As such, the doctor reflects on how far the women have come to be where they are today. Kollontai in his assessment further recalls the sufferings that woman have had towards occupying their new positions. He asserts there was a time when the women lived in patriarchy where the father’s will “was law for all the other family members” (Kollontai, 1920). 

Another significant similarity depicted between these two texts is the fact that woman have a wide array of rights to enjoy. In the Nazi community, the author notes that the German women have experienced tremendous transformations. The author further notes that “they are beginning to see that they are not happier as a result of being given more rights but fewer duties” (A Call to Arms). The Nazi women yearn for rights that provide them with a duty to perform essential roles within the society. Kollontai further discusses how the woman of today has the opportunity to live free from an abusive spouse as a result of the divorce rights. He writes, “A working woman will not have to petition for months or even years to secure the right to live separately from a husband who beats her” (Kollontai, 1920). 

Differences 

Despite their similarities, there are also several apparent differences that come out in the authors’ discussion about the newly acquired freedom of the women. Although the Nazi woman is given freedom that she never had before, she is constantly reminded of her gender role as a female and a mother. “If the nation once again has mothers who proudly and freely choose motherhood, it cannot perish” (A Call to Arms). As such, the Nazi woman is reminded that although freedom is necessary, she has to remember her gender roles. However, Kollontai provides a different assessment where the woman is not tied or blackmailed with her gender roles. He narrates how the woman has economic viability that has made her respected in the family and the fact that she can easily disintegrate from an abusive marriage without any hesitation. 

Although the Nazi felt that the woman needed more recognition and appreciation for their work, there were several elements such as Adolf Hitler who advocated for a clear distinction between the two genders. In his speech, Hitler notes that “we do not consider it correct for women to interfere in the world of the man, in his main sphere” (A Call to Arms). On the contrary, Kollontai debunks this form of solitude that Nazi people advocated. He questions, “what kind of family life can there be if the wife and mother is out at work for at least eight hours” (Kollontai, 1920). The author, unlike in Nazi communities identifies women as integral part of the family without which life becomes excessively difficult. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, the two authors present distinct societies trying to battle the effects of a male-dominated society. In both texts, the position of the females is well depicted including their importance in the family, the acquisition of rights, and economic viability. However, the Nazi continue to hold sentiments on gender roles and the need to separately view male and females as distinct entities. 

References 

“ A Call to Arms” Women in the Third Reich : Retrieved from https://engl203holocaustspring2012.wordpress.com/the-call-to-arms/ 

Kollontai, A. (1920). Communism and the Family. Contemporary Publishing Association. Retrieved From: https://www.marxists.org/archive/kollonta/1920/communism-family.htm