Exercise 4concept

1
Exercise 4--concept

• Commodification of women in China

2
Historical transition (1)

• 1. Feudalist economy Women did not have the
  rights to choose their husbands. Marriages were
  arranged

• Exchange between betrothals exchange between
  brides dowry and gifts and money of grooms
  family was highly calculated

• Families who could not afford to prepare dowries
  would send the daughters to be adopted. An
  adopted daughter was supposed to marry the son of
  the adopting family

• The marital relationship could be terminated if
  the women were incapable of producing offspring

3
Historical transition (2)

• 2. Capitalist society
• In general, women had the rights to become
  independentto go to school, to attend social
  gatherings, to have political rights (to vote and
  to be voted)

• They could choose to get resources by their own
  efforts and with their own means

• Means to get resources education, personal
  connections, professional skills, etc.

• The problem women became objects of mens leisure

4
Can we achieve gender equality by erasing gender
differences?