Heidi Hartmann: The Unhappy Marriage

Hartmann extends Engels’ recognition of the two aspects or modes of production,

extending the historical and materialistic method of Marxism by incorporating the

insights of radical feminists.

Patriarchy (the hierarchical domination of women by

men)

Capitalism

social economic

system of male domination system of class/economic domination

creates the gender oppression of women creates the class oppression of most

women

the realm of reproduction the realm of production

people/children things/commodities

sex/gender system mode of production

sex power class power

private/home public/work

outside the traditional understanding of the

economy

part of the economy

female male

Hartmann argues that while patriarchy and capitalism are two distinct systems,

they are mutually accommodating, with each influencing the other. She points to several

areas where the two have colluded:

• the sexual division of labor (both within the home and outside it)

• the development of the family wage

• the changing economic role of children

Can you extend Hartmann’s analysis by indicating how patriarchy and capitalism

colluded in the following areas (confirming or disconfirming her hypothesis):

1. the toys you and your siblings played with as children

2. the jobs you and your siblings were assigned in the household as children

3. the housework your parents did

4. the institutions your parents were associated with (school, union, social clubs

and organizations)

5. the wage work your parents did outside the home