Feminism Without Illusions by Elizabeth Fox-Genovese
"Feminism Without Illusions" by Elizabeth Fox-Genovese is a critical exploration of the intricate relationship between feminism and individualism, set against the backdrop of historical and social developments. This work consists of nine chapters, with the first half focusing on feminism's role in political life and the latter half addressing its intellectual implications, particularly in the context of academic discourse. Fox-Genovese argues that feminism emerged alongside individualism during the eighteenth-century market revolution, revealing a paradox where feminist claims for equal rights often coexist with collectivist ideas.
The text examines significant themes, such as the impact of community versus societal constructs on women's experiences and the evolution of feminist theory and politics. It also critiques various positions on gender equality, including innatism and differential egalitarianism, while emphasizing the importance of diversity within women's history. By combining historical analysis with personal narrative, Fox-Genovese provides a framework for understanding the challenges faced by women in both public and private spheres.
As a respected historian, Fox-Genovese's insights contribute to ongoing debates in the field of women's studies, making "Feminism Without Illusions" an essential reference for those interested in the complexities of feminism and its historical context. The work serves as a comprehensive overview of feminist scholarship, highlighting key issues and future directions in the exploration of gender equality.
Feminism Without Illusions by Elizabeth Fox-Genovese
First published: 1991
Type of work: Social criticism
Form and Content
Feminism Without Illusions: A Critique of Individualism is a work of history and social criticism, and as such it covers a wide range of opinion and a number of topics. There are nine chapters: The first four explore feminism and political life, and the next five deal with feminism and the intellectual life, particularly the issue of an academic canon. Elizabeth Fox-Genovese’s thesis is that a paradoxical relationship exists between feminism and individualism. The relationship is complex: One of the origins of individualism was the market revolution of the eighteenth century, and modern feminism developed during that same period. Feminism also claims rights and citizenship for an entire group—women. The author discusses feminism as the claim to equal rights in its autonomous expression and downgrades the notion of domestic feminism, a choice which weakens her presentation. A reform Marxist, Fox-Genovese treats political ideas seriously, but her primary concern is with the social and philosophical consequences of feminism.
Chapter 1, “Beyond Sisterhood,” explores the eternal issue of class, education, and life experiences among all kinds of women. The historic issue is between community and society, drawing on the famous distinction created by the German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies. Fox-Genovese recognizes that feminist agitation and reform had a kinder impact on American life. This observation carries the narrative into the next chapter, “Women and Community.” Aside from her thesis dealing with individualism’s inadequacy, this chapter offers little insight.
The next two chapters, “From Feminist Theory to Feminist Politics” and “Pornography and Individual Rights,” provide the heart of Fox-Genovese’s thesis. Citing a wide group of writers and theorists, she reveals some fascinating issues and policies as feminism emerged as a presence in modern American life. This movement has, she observes, provided paradox. For example, the feminist policy regarding abolition was grounded in individualism, but the comparative worth argument regarding equal pay for equal work is really a collectivist concept. As a result, government and the rise of the modern welfare state have a curious position in her text. Government is very important; it carries out the electoral mandates of the people in tempering the abuses of the market.
“Individualism and Women’s History” and “The Struggle for a Feminist History” outline the driving force in women’s lives. Since 1865, the market has embraced all aspects of American life. Public or private, society or self, the market bends all things to its will. Only women, using Fox-Genovese’s theory of feminism, can withstand such institutional and historical challenges. Both chapters are solid summaries of the history of feminist scholarship. The author recognizes that diversity is a vital part of women’s history; however, the ideal of a common culture prevents all culture from becoming mere personal experience. Her measured judgments of what constitutes the private and public aspects of women’s lives enhance the value of Feminism Without Illusions.
Although Fox-Genovese does not cite the four standard positions dealing with gender equality, they are noted here to aid in understanding the long-standing debate in this academic field. The four major interpretations are innatism, environmental feminism, superior feminism and differential egalitarianism. The first concept argues that the gender difference is eternal. The second postulates that social conditioning can overcome any difference in male-female relationships. The third argument simply notes that despite the oppression of history, women are superior to men, particularly regarding morality. Differential egalitarianism recognizes the difference between the sexes but contests that it is not sufficient for any claim of dominance. The resulting issue is the difference between male and female, but the significance of the concept, according to Fox-Genovese, is how it changes over time.
After exploring the implications of these four positions, Fox-Genovese turns to her autobiography in the last three chapters and the afterword and uses herself as an example of differential egalitarianism. A rich and varied bibliography completes the book.
Context
Elizabeth Fox-Genovese is a major historian whose writings have much importance. This is particularly true abut Feminism Without Illusions. Basing her arguments on wide reading and deep questions, Fox-Genovese can question certain aspects of the historical development of feminism because she is an insider. Her academic achievements cannot be challenged.
Her book also is an excellent summary of feminist scholarship which suggests future issues and concerns in the field. The field of women’s history has grown and changed since the 1960’s, and this book is especially vital in discussing those changes. The text is a close discussion of varied writers in the field. The result is a handy index to many of the standard arguments and concerns in the area of women’s history.
Sources for Further Study
Booklist. LXXXVII, April 1, 1991, p. 1533.
Choice. XXIX, September, 1991, p. 150.
Commentary. XCII, September, 1991, p. 62.
Degler, Carl N. At Odds: Women and the Family in America from the Revolution to the Present. New York: Oxford University Press, 1980. Degler argues that women’s history has an articulate, dedicated group (women) supporting the further development of women’s history but that no sizable academic or political element speaks for the family. Because of this, its history does not have the appeal of women’s history, although most people spend the majority of their lives within the institution of marriage. The result is an uneven scholarly development of the discipline and de facto emphasis on what Fox-Genovese would label individualism.
Kirkus Reviews. LIX, March 1, 1991, p. 298.
Library Journal. CXVI, July, 1991, p. 118.
The New Republic. CCIV, February 18, 1991, p. 57.
The New York Times Book Review. XCVI, May 5, 1991, p. 12.
Okin, Susan M. Women in Western Political Thought. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1979. This book provides scope to understanding how, in Western societies, the male image became the natural in politics, beginning with the ancient Greeks. Plato’s concept of “forms” helped to shape this basic assumption, and habit, tradition, and language continued the practice. The early association of the private with the female and the public with the male resulted in segregation.
Pickens, Donald K. “Domestic Feminism and the Structure of American History.” Contemporary Philosophy 12 (November, 1989): 14-22. Grounded in existing literature, this article argues that the ideal of America is a middle-class utopia and, as a result of this structure, that feminism became two expressions: autonomous and domestic. Autonomous feminism appeals to liberationist sentiment and domestic feminism to the progressive creed of reform.
Publishers Weekly. CCXXXVIII, February 8, 1991, p. 46.
Smith, Daniel Scott. “Family Limitation, Sexual Control, and Domestic Feminism in Victorian America.” In Clio’s Consciousness Raised, edited by Mary Hartman and Lois Banner. New York: Harper & Row, 1974. Smith’s article outlines in an effective way how domestic feminism shaped the major thrust of progressive reform. Because many women wanted to defend their homes from the historical challenges of the market, they turned to the state as a means to that end. The resulting welfare state demonstrated that American women often used assumed-radical means for assumed-conservative ends.
The Virginia Quarterly Review. LXVII, Summer, 1991, p. 105.
The Washington Post Book World. XXI, April 21, 1991, p. 4.
Wolgast, Elizabeth H. Equality and the Rights of Women. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1980. Wolgast’s work is based on a conviction that men and women are different. She anticipated Fox-Genovese’s position regarding justice, which demands that women and men be treated differently in some very important areas (for example, only women can give birth to babies).
Woloch, Nancy. Women and the American Experience. 2d ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994. Well written and with a strong bibliography, this textbook provides a crucial guide to the historical and emotional issues that have constituted women’s history. Woloch’s book offers scope and a wide coverage of topics, making it a fine background volume.