Capitalism, For and Against: A Feminist Debate

by Ann E. Cudd , Nancy Holmstrom

• ISBN13: 9780521132114
• ISBN10: 0521132118
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-02-14
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Political philosophy and feminist theory have rarely examined in detail how capitalism affects the lives of women. Ann Cudd and Nancy Holmstrom take up opposing sides of the issue, debating whether capitalism is valuable as an ideal and whether as an actually existing economic system it is good for women. In a discussion covering a broad range of social and economic issues, including unequal pay, industrial reforms and sweatshops, they examine how these and other issues relate to women and how effectively to analyze what constitutes 'capitalism' and 'women's interests'. Each author also responds to the opposing arguments, providing a thorough debate of the topics covered. The resulting volume will interest a wide range of readers in philosophy, political theory, women's studies and global affairs.

Table of Contents

List of tables and figures	p. vii
Acknowledgments	p. viii
	p. 1
For capitalism as a feminist ideal and reality	p. 3
Introduction	p. 3
The empirical case for capitalism as an actually existing system	p. 29
The theoretical explanation of capitalism's success	p. 62
Feminist critiques of capitalism	p. 97
Fetishism	p. 116
Enlightened capitalism: a feminist capitalist manifesto	p. 125
	p. 131
Against capitalism as theory and as reality	p. 133
Introduction	p. 133
Capitalism in theory: ideals and limits	p. 145
Capitalism in reality	p. 213
Human interests are women's interests	p. 244
Conclusion: what is the alternative? and what should feminists do now?	p. 252
	p. 261
Ann Cudd's reply to Nancy Holmstrom	p. 263
Nancy Holmstrom's reply to Ann Cudd	p. 289
Bibliography	p. 323
Index	p. 345
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.