our androcentric culture-第24节

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use　the　analogue！）　_is_　a　fight；　and　his　ancient　military　institutions
and　processes　keep　up　the　delusion。

As　a　matter　of　fact　life　is　growth。　　Growth　comes　naturally；　by
multiplication　of　cells；　and　requires　three　factors　to　promote　it；
nourishment；　use；　rest。　　Combat　is　a　minor　incident　of　life；　belonging
to　low　levels；　and　not　of　a　developing　influence　socially。

The　science　of　politics；　in　a　civilized　community；　should　have　by　this
time　a　fine　accumulation　of　simplified　knowledge　for　diffusion　in　public
schools；　a　store　of　practical　experience　in　how　to　promote　social
advancement　most　rapidly；　a　progressive　economy　and　ease　of
administration；　a　simplicity　in　theory　and　visible　benefit　in　practice；
such　as　should　make　every　child　an　eager　and　serviceable　citizen。

What　do　we　find；　here　in　America；　in　the　field　of　〃politics？〃

We　find　first　a　party　system　which　is　the　technical　arrangement　to　carry
on　a　fight。　　It　is　perfectly　conceivable　that　a　flourishing　democratic
government　be　carried　on　_without　any　parties　at　all；_　public
functionaries　being　elected　on　their　merits；　and　each　proposed　measure
judged　on　its　merits；　though　this　sounds　impossible　to　the　androcentric
mind。

〃There　has　never　been　a　democracy　without　factions　and　parties！〃　is
protested。

There　has　never　been　a　democracy；　so　faronly　an　androcracy。

A　group　composed　of　males　alone；　naturally　divides；　opposes；　fights；
even　a　male　church；　under　the　most　rigid　rule；　has　its　secret
undercurrents　of　antagonism。

〃It　is　the　human　heart！〃　is　again　protested。　　No；　not　essentially　the
human　heart；　but　the　male　heart。　　This　is　so　well　recognized　by　men　in
general；　that；　to　their　minds；　in　this　mingled　field　of　politics　and
warfare；　women　have　no　place。

In　〃civilized　warfare〃　they　are；　it　is　true；　allowed　to　trail　along　and
practice　their　feminine　function　of　nursing；　but　this　is　no　part　of　war
proper；　it　is　rather　the　beginning　of　the　end　of　war。　　Some　time　it　will
strike　our　〃funny　spot；〃　these　strenuous　efforts　to　hurt　and　destroy；
and　these　accompanying　efforts　to　heal　and　save。

But　in　our　politics　there　is　not　even　provision　for　a　nursing　corps；
women　are　absolutely　excluded。

〃They　cannot　play　the　game！〃　cries　the　practical　politician。　　There　is
loud　talk　of　the　defilement；　the　〃dirty　pool〃　and　its　resultant
darkening　of　fair　reputations；　the　total　unfitness　of　lovely　woman　to
take　part　in　〃the　rough　and　tumble　of　politics。〃

In　other　words　men　have　made　a　human　institution　into　an　ultra…masculine
performance；　and；　quite　rightly；　feel　that　women　could　not　take　part　in
politics　_as　men　do。_　　That　it　is　not　necessary　to　fulfill　this　human
custom　in　so　masculine　a　way　does　not　occur　to　them。　　Few　men　can
overlook　the　limitations　of　their　sex　and　see　the　truth；　that　this
business　of　taking　care　of　our　common　affairs　is　not　only　equally　open
to　women　and　men；　but　that　women　are　distinctly　needed　in　it。

Anyone　will　admit　that　a　government　wholly　in　the　hands　of　women　would
be　helped　by　the　assistance　of　men；　that　a　gynaecocracy　must；　of　its　own
nature；　be　one　sided。　　Yet　it　is　hard　to　win　reluctant　admission　of　the
opposite　fact；　that　an　androcracy　must　of　its　own　nature　be　one　sided
also；　and　would　be　greatly　improved　by　the　participation　of　the　other
sex。

The　inextricable　confusion　of　politics　and　warfare　is　part　of　the
stumbling　block　in　the　minds　of　men。　　As　they　see　it；　a　nation　is
primarily　a　fighting　organization；　and　its　principal　business　is
offensive　and　defensive　warfare；　therefore　the　ultimatum　with　which　they
oppose　the　demand　for　political　equality〃women　cannot　fight；　therefore
they　cannot　vote。〃

Fighting；　when　all　is　said；　is　to　them　the　real　business　of　life；　not　to
be　able　to　fight　is　to　be　quite　out　of　the　running；　and　ability　to　solve
our　growing　mass　of　public　problems；　questions　of　health；　of　education；
of　morals；　of　economics；　weighs　naught　against　the　ability　to　kill。

This　naive　assumption　of　supreme　value　in　a　process　never　of　the　first
importance；　and　increasingly　injurious　as　society　progresses；　would　be
laughable　if　it　were　not　for　its　evil　effects。　　It　acts　and　reacts　upon
us　to　our　hurt。　　Positively；　we　see　the　ill　effects　already　touched　on；
the　evils　not　only　of　active　war；　but　of　the　spirit　and　methods　of　war；
idealized；　inculcated　and　practiced　in　other　social　processes。　　It　tends
to　make　each　man…managed　nation　an　actual　or　potential　fighting
organization；　and　to　give　us；　instead　of　civilized　peace；　that　〃balance
of　power〃　which　is　like　the　counted　time　in　the　prize　ringonly　a　rest
between　combats。

It　leaves　the　weaker　nations　to　be　〃conquered〃　and　〃annexed〃　just　as
they　used　to　be；　with　tariffs　instead　of　tribute。　　It　forces　upon　each
the　burden　of　armament；　upon　many　the　dreaded　conscription；　and
continually　lowers　the　world's　resources　in　money　and　in　life。

Similarly　in　politics；　it　adds　to　the　legitimate　expenses　of　governing
the　illegitimate　expenses　of　fighting；　and　must　needs　have　a　〃spoils
system〃　by　which　to　pay　its　mercenaries。

In　carrying　out　the　public　policies　the　wheels　of　state　are　continually
clogged　by　the　〃opposition；〃　always　an　opposition　on　one　side　or　the
other；　and　this　slow　wiggling　uneven　progress；　through　shorn　victories
and　haggling　concessions；　is　held　to　be　the　proper　and　only　political
method。

〃Women　do　not　understand　politics；〃　we　are　told；　〃Women　do　not　care　for
politics；〃　〃Women　are　unfitted　for　politics。〃

It　is　frankly　inconceivable；　from　the　androcentric　view…point；　that
nations　can　live　in　peace　together；　and　be　friendly　and　serviceable　as
persons　are。　　It　is　inconceivable　also；　that　in　the　management　of　a
nation；　honesty；　efficiency；　wisdom；　experience　and　love　could　work　out
good　results　without　any　element　of　combat。

The　〃ultimate　resort〃　is　still　to　arms。　　〃The　will　of　the　majority〃　is
only　respected　on　account　of　the　guns　o？the　majority。　　We　have　but　a
partial　civilization；　heavily　modified　to　sexthe　male　sex。



WOMAN　AND　THE　STATE


＇A　Discussion　of　Political　Equality　of　Men　and　Women。　　To　be　read　in
connection　with　chapter　12　of　Our　Androcentric　Culture。＇

Here　are　two　vital　factors　in　human　life；　one　a　prime　essential　to　our
existence；　the　other　a　prime　essential　to　our　progress。

Both　of　them　we　idealize　in　certain　lines；　and　exploit　in　others。　　Both
of　them　are　misinterpreted；　balked　of　their　full　usefulness；　and
humanity　thus　injured。

The　human　race　does　not　get　the　benefit　of　the　full　powers　of　women；　nor
of　the　full　powers　of　the　state。

In　all　civilized　races　to…day　there　is　a　wide　and　growing　sense　of
discontent　among　women；　a　criticism　of　their　assigned　limitations；　and　a
demand　for　larger　freedom　and　opportunity。　　Under　different　conditions
the　demand　varies；　it　is　here　for　higher　education；　there　for　justice
before　the　law；　here　for　economic　independence；　and　there　for　political
equality。

This　last　is　at　present　the　most　prominent　Issue　of　〃the　woman　question〃
in　England　and　America；　as　the　activity　of　the　〃militant　suffragists〃
has　forced　it　upon　the　attention　of　the　world。

Thoughtful　people　in　general　are　now　studying　this　point　more　seriously
than　ever　before；　genuinely　anxious　to　adopt　the　right　side；　and　there
is　an　alarmed　uprising　of　sincere　objection　to　the　political　equality　of
women。

Wasting　no　time　on　ignorance；　prejudice；　or　the　resistance　of　special
interests；　let　us　fairly　face　the　honest　opposition；　and　do　it　justice。

The　conservative　position　is　this：

Men　and　women　have　different　spheres　in　life。　　To　men　belong　the
creation　and　management　of　the　state；　and　the　financial　maintenance　of
the　home　and　family：

〃To　women　belong　the　physical　burden　of　maternity；　and　the　industrial
management　of　the　home　and　family；　these　duties　require　all　their　time
and　strength：

〃The　prosperity　of　the　state　may　be　sufficiently　conserved　by　men　alone；
the　prosperity　of　the　family　requires　the　personal　presence　and　services
of　the　mother　in　the　home：　if　women　assume　the　cares　of　the　state；　the
home　and　family　will　suffer：

Some　go　even　farther　than　this；　and　claim　an　essential　limitation　in
〃the　female　mind〃　which　prevents　it　from　grasping　large　political
interests；　holding；　therefore；　that　if　women　took　part　in　state　affairs
it　would　be　to　the　detriment　of　the　community：

Others　advance　a　theory　that　〃society；〃　in　the　special　sense；　is　the
true　sphere　of　larger　service　for　women；　and　that　those　of　them　not
exclusively　confined　to　〃home　duties〃　may　find　full　occupation　in
〃social　duties；〃　including　the　time　honored　fields　of　〃religion〃　and
〃charity〃：

Others　again　place　their　main　reliance　on　the　statement　that；　as　to　the
suffrage；　〃women　do　not　want　it。〃

Let　us　consider　these　points　in　inverse　order；　beginning　with　the　last
one。

We　will　admit　that　at　present　the　majority　of　women　are　not　consciously
desirous　of　any　extension　of　their　political　rights　and　privileges；　but
deny　that　this　indifference　is　any　evidence　against　the　desirability　of
such　extension。

It　has　long　been　accepted　that　the　position　of　women　is　an　index　of
civilization。　　Progressive　people　are　proud　of　the　freedom　and　honor