Feminism, Marxism, Method, And The State An Agenda For...

In this paper, we will analyze Catharine MacKinnon’s work Feminism, Marxism, Method, and the State: An Agenda for Theory, and the unique way in which she tries to form a metaphorical parallel between Marxist theory and relate this to her stance on feminism. She uses this distinctive technique to develop her feminist theory of law. While most would agree that she is very innovative in her approach, we will try to examine the problems with looking at feminism and feminist theory in this manner. While not completely discrediting MacKinnon, the purpose of this paper will be to shed light on the dangers of trying to hijack Marxist theory, stifle it into a corner, and cover it in feminist theory, much like An Agenda for Theory does. We will then look at ways in which we can liberate Marxist theories form MacKinnon’s tight associations and give ideas to help them guide modern feminism as a helpful resource, instead of making it a clear cut metaphorical dictator to truthfully u nderstanding Feminism and feminist theory. To understand how MacKinnon is able to apply Marxism to feminism, we will need to explore the ways in which she compares them. MacKinnon starts to build her theory about women’s subservience to men by creating a parallel pairing of key components of Marxist theory with those of their feminist equivalents. The following is a brief rundown of some of her parallels, and and is in no way exhaustive or comprehensive. The Marxist conception of work is associated with sex.Show MoreRelatedThe Role Of Media And Communications Developed Over The Last Century?1803 Words   |  8 Pagesmajor input in the development of technology and knowledge. 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