Week 11: Feminist Critique of Liberalism

Contributing factors include fewer women in leadership positions, rates of poverty, and women's subjection to violence.

The 'ethics of care' emphasizes relationships and mutual dependency, contrasting with traditional views that often prioritize autonomy and individualism.

A 'care deficit' can lead to a 'democratic deficit', as it disproportionately burdens certain citizens with caring duties, affecting their ability to participate equally in civic life.

<p>'DARVO' stands for Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim &amp; Offender, a tactic often used by abusers to manipulate the narrative around family violence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Legal equality is often theoretical; without addressing societal reluctance to confront family violence, true equality and justice remain unattainable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Liberalism is based on the idea of political equality, yet liberal democratic societies are profoundly unequal in practice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mills argues that the social contract is actually a racial contract, reflecting discriminatory laws and practices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mills proposes a non-ideal theory, specifically the idea of a racial or domination contract.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Brewer notes that despite liberalism's rejection of ascriptive hierarchy, women, the enslaved, and non-propertied men were excluded from contract rights.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Brewer suggests that advances in rights typically occur in the context of war or mass social movements driven by collective struggle.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The commitment to property rights and a limited understanding of autonomy serve to undermine equality and facilitate systemic injustices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mills critiques that ideal theory obscures the racial injustices stemming from the social origins of liberalism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mills questions how greater degrees of equality were achieved if liberalism is inherently racist, considering historical inequalities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Feminists argue that the private sphere is not exempt from the exercise of power, as seen in issues like domestic violence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Early liberal thinkers often viewed men as rational providers and defenders, while portraying women as weak and dependent.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Wollstonecraft argued that the capacity for reason is not dependent on gender but rather shaped by education and socialization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Mill advocated for women's rights by asserting that women are capable of reason and self-development.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Feminists argue that liberal individualism overlooks relationality, asserting that identity and opportunities are shaped by social structures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Feminists critiqued the liberal conception of equality as being inadequate because it often excludes women's specific needs and contexts.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Feminists argue that the liberal social contract primarily protects private interests, which fails to account for women's experiences and rights.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Feminist critique proposes an ethic of care as a more appropriate framework for understanding relationships and social responsibilities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Caring is central in democracy because it involves assigning responsibilities for care and empowering citizens to participate in that assignment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The four processes of care are: caring about, caring for, caregiving, and care receiving.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Tronto’s concept of care encompasses social and political institutions, emphasizing collective responsibility in caring for others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The ethical quality associated with 'caring for' is responsibility.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The feminist critique argues that women are often viewed as subordinates within the social contract, confined to the private realm.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Democratic care refers to the need for care to align with democratic principles of justice, equality, and freedom for all.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Care is defined as the activities necessary to maintain, continue, and repair our world, including our bodies and environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Boucher critiques Pateman by arguing that marriage should be seen as a contract involving property accumulation rather than solely about sexual access.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The ethical qualities associated with 'caring with' include plurality, communication, trust, respect, and solidarity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Locke is seen as anti-patriarchal but still views women as subject to men's authority in familial matters, unlike Pateman who critiques the sexual contract more broadly.</p> Signup and view all the answers