A Study On The Development Of The Contemporary Chinese Women

The historical experience of the second sex is the common fate to females all over the world. For thousands of years of feudal society and over a century's semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, Chinese women especially had suffered long-standing oppression, humiliation and violence hard to imagine. In the modern times, a flourishing Chinese women's liberation movement woke them up. Chinese women broke out of humble, selfless and collective unconscious situation, and began to pursue self-liberation and development. After the founding of new China, women who had gained equal legal status with men stepped out of their homes, and participated into society widely. Hence, people were convinced that the liberated women would start a completely new life in an equal society together with men. However, since 1980's, with the deepening of reform, women have been encountering various problems, such as women laid-off, employment difficulty for female college students, women political participation crisis, girls'quitting school, etc. The efficiency orientation of market economy, combined with decadent gender culture, had worsened the tendency to materialize and commercialize females, which brought new problems to women development. Why were females excluded by the rapid development taking place in China? Those problems occurred in women development need to be considered and solved rationally.In current research field of Chinese women development, the studies from home academic circles still lack of perspective as a whole. There is also a tendency to use western feminist theories as methodology basis, which neglects the methodological significance of Marxist fundamental theories and Marxist thought of women emancipation. Meanwhile, scholars abroad who were influenced by their own cultures, histories, and values, did not have adequate knowledge about Chinese culture, and also cannot shake off the Western model. Therefore, the initial purpose of realizing Chinese women developing problems under the specific social and historical circumstances has not been achieved. Hence, on the basis of previous studies, this thesis, in a philosophical view, rooted in Marxist fundamental theories and Marxist thought of women emancipation, borrowed beneficial ideological resources from western feminist theories, with clarification of a century's development of Chinese women, to analyze the current developing status of Chinese women and the problems existing, explore the root of these problems, and seek further developing ways for Chinese women on basis of reality.This thesis falls into three parts, namely introduction, body, and closing, among which the body has been divided into five chapters.The introduction part presents the necessity to concern and study the women development issues systematically in the process of social transmission. The author analyzes present research situation and limitation of Chinese women development studies, and puts forward innovation, and the meaning of research.Looking back the history of Chinese women's liberation movement since 19th century last phase is the most efficient way to understand present situation of Chinese women development, which is the result of the movement. Therefore, the first and the second chapters look back upon the over a century long history of Chinese women development.Chapterâ… , a century history:the realization of equality of men and women in legislation. Equality of men and women, the flag high raised by Western feminist movement, was also the core goal of Chinese women's liberation movement. The thought of equality of men and women in China emerged, developed, and became real actions during a series of famous historical events, namely the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement,1898 Wuxu Reform movement,1911 Revolution, May 4th Movement, National Revolution, Anti-Japanese War, and Chinese Civil War. After the founding of new China, the authority paid much more attention on establishing and protecting women's social statue and rights. In accordance with the Constitution, a complete law system aiming on protecting females'rights and promoting gender equality was established, which had The Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women as main part, besides various of national laws, local regulations, and administrative regulations. Equality of men and women has been realized in legislation.Chapterâ…¡, a century history:extensive and difficult social participation for women. Whether home or aboard, it is the key purpose of feminist movement to step out of homes and get into society, be free from the traditional roles of domestic slave and reproduction tool, strive for the rights to participate in political, economical, and cultural activities extensively, which is also the essential point of applying equality of men and women. Nowadays, Chinese women have already stepped out of homes into society, which can be proved by the substantive progress women had gotten in education, employment, and political participation. However, women's social participation process was never smooth. The different experiences of females and males in the fields of education, employment, and political participation just showed the difficulties of women's social participation in contemporary China.Chapterâ…¢, Clarification of contemporary Chinese women's development situation. There are some differences between the opinions of scholars home and aboard about Chinese women's development situation at present. Therefore, clarifying present development situation of Chinese women is necessary. This clarification can be divided into two parts as below. Firstly, a century's Chinese women development has gotten a great achievement. Chinese women's emancipation and development have always been supported by the society. The realization of equality of men and women in legislation provides system guarantee for Chinese women development. And Chinese women's extensive social participation is a solid reality that cannot be ignored. Secondly, there are various issues in Chinese women development at present. The equality in legislation doesn't so equal in reality. Females are marginalized in social participation. Role conflict and confusion appear in social participation. Chinese women's subjective consciousness has been awakened, however, the development of self-consciousness and self-guided still need expectation. Chinese women still have a long way to go.Chapterâ…£, analyzes the root of the problems existing in modern Chinese women development. This chapter analyzes the causes of the various problems existing in Chinese women development. Firstly, productivity is the ultimately decisive power of women development, which means, The Phenomenon of Oppressed Women is an outcome that the productivity developed into certain stage. As a result, women's emancipation must base on the development of social productivity, which can narrow the gap between two genders caused by physical differences as it developing. Therefore, the root cause that limits women development is the insufficient development of social productivity of modern China. Secondly, gender division of labor in society is the direct economical cause of the problems existing in women development. The phenomenon of gender division of labor is common in human history. The traditional social gender division of labor is hierarchal which strongly restricts women development. Although transforming in modern China, the social gender division of labor did not disappear. It turned into a more complicated and plural form:1) the solidification of social gender division of labor which formed an impassable barrier, retard the overall development of women, and created a social pattern involved ruling men and dependent women.2) The determination of the value of hierarchal social gender division of labor covered the history of cooperated labor between sexes, which caused the privatization of reproduction, and heavy underestimation of the value of domestic work. Thirdly, the feudal patriarchal culture is the breeding ground of the problems of women development in contemporary China. The view that men are superior to women controls women in all levels materially, physically, and psychologically. In modern China, patriarchal culture still has great influence and hinders the developing of women.Chapterâ…¤, the realization of modern Chinese women development. With good foundation, how could Chinese women development achieve further advancement? The method is a condition system. First, highly developed productivity is the material foundation of women development. Second, equalization of social gender division labor is the prerequisite, which includes three relevant aspects:1) women participate in social life generally, while men back to home properly.2) Acknowledge and compensate the social value of women's reproduction.3) Socialize and wage of domestic work. Third, building up advanced gender culture is the key to women development. Women development has a close connection with men development and human development as well. Feminine culture leads human beings out of dilemma, doesn't mean leave the responsibility of saving the world to women alone. It just asks men to hear the voice from women, and the feminine characters can have more influence in the development of human beings.The ending words posts that women will rise and develop as never before in the 21st century. The combination exceeding gender limitation, which was explored by Marx and Engels, will bring development to both men and women, further more, to the whole world. It shows that women development is not narrowly limited on its own benefits, but aims to create a better future together with men.