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divisions of ths working dsy. The rsapsctlvs<br />

PWWT, vovUnUon and strength of ths tso<br />

conflicting clsssss will, in asch csss, dsclds how<br />

e»ch leaus is rasolvad.<br />

In such ths ssn way, it sss argusd thst ths<br />

ssttlng of ths vslus of labour power sss sn<br />

important procsss in soclsty. Conflicts snd<br />

struggles ovsr this show up in SBQS disputsa,<br />

ohsnQinQ rslstlons bstsssn lndustrlsl snd rursi<br />

irNs, snd in s ssriss of othsr wsys.<br />

Anothsr important sbstrsct rslstlonshlp<br />

discussad lnvolvsd ths diffsrlng positions of tha<br />

, vsrious clsssss to ths sssna of production. There<br />

srs s nusbsr of dlffsrsnt aays in which ths<br />

Cspltmlist clsss csn osn snd control ths assns of<br />

production - Involving formal shsrs ownership,<br />

ststs lnvolvaasnt, aanagsrlsl rsprsssntstivss<br />

noting as sgsnts for owner*, ste.<br />

Ths relation of ths votfeing clsss to ths<br />

sstarlal sssns of production slso chsngss within ths<br />

capitalist sconosy. And, laportsntly, non-<br />

capltallat soclstlss (so fsudsl, socialist) Involvs<br />

vswy dlffsrsnt rslstlons of bath dirsct producsrs<br />

and non-producsrs to lsndt sschlnsry snd tools.<br />

This, then, hss bsen ths ssjor sin of ths<br />

I ssriss on political sconosyt to identify s sst of<br />

important sbstrsct economic relations, and to sss<br />

shot thay tall uo about capitalist aocisty In gsnsrsl +<br />

Thoss rslstlons which exist within production hsvs<br />

bssn concsntrstsd on. Hossvsr, shlls thsy srs ^mry<br />

lsportsnt, othsr fsctors hsvs to bs taken into<br />

sccount to undsrstand sny soclsty. Ths conditions<br />

undsr vhioh cowsloditiss srs praducsd tolls s lot<br />

sbout car tain bssic procsssss in cspltsilst soclsty.<br />

•vt to undsntsnd apaolflo soolstlss, othsr dynsslcs<br />

which do not rslsts only to ths sconosy slso hsvs<br />

to bs snslyssd snd understood.<br />

m<br />

'ORGANISING<br />

WOMEN.' : w<br />

Response 1<br />

A controvsrsisl fasiniat ones cospsrsd ths connsctioi<br />

bstwssn narxiwa and faainie* to 'ths asrrlsgs of<br />

husband snd wifs dsplctsd in English DO—a last<br />

mer-ia* snd fsslnias srs ons snd thst ons Is<br />

marxism'. 1 Hartman contlnuss hsr si«Ue, 'either wS<br />

nssd s hsslthlsr marriage or ws naad s divorca*. Ths<br />

srtlcls 'Organising woman' (»JIP 21) is sn Important<br />

contribution towards a sors squsl ststs of affairs,<br />

but both ths srtlcls snd Hartasn'a sis41s suffsr fros<br />

s similar dafact: thsy fsll to go bsyond ths<br />

convsntlonally sccsptsd socisl and political fom.<br />

Shlls Hartman falls to problssoUss ths Institution<br />

of.serrlsgs, ths authors of 'Orgsnising Somen 1 foil<br />

to push bsyond ths convsntlcnsl sitss snd fonts of<br />

political struggls.<br />

Ths thrust of ths srtlcls is how to lntsgrata<br />

sossn into clsss struggls. Ths authors ahow vary<br />

clssrly thst wording class sossn experience<br />

exploitation and oppression, both ss women snd ss<br />

SSSbsrs of ths black marking class. Ths thsorstlcsl<br />

assumption behind thsir SUM—I sssss to bs thst<br />

clsaa atructurds dsfins ths forms of ssxusl<br />

opprssslon to which wossn srs subject. Hossvsr, thsy<br />

fan to follow through ths political ispliostiona of<br />

thalr argument. This is essential if fsainiss la to<br />

bs prlorltissd, and put on ths sgende for political<br />

action, and not aiaply subsumed undsr class struggle.<br />

In ths first plaost two themes within fe-inism<br />

t which hsvs consldsrsbls foros hsvs to bs confrontsd If<br />

ths prsdcwilnant concsption of fewdnlaa ss s 'ssspon<br />

2 *<br />

of lspsrlsllss' or 'bourgsols Indulgsnos' srs to bs<br />

dispsllsd. A rsdlcsl fsainiss which sssusas thst ths<br />

ssxusl opprssaion of wossn trsnscsnds class divisions<br />

sust bat attacked on sll fronts. This psrspsctlvs la<br />

exemplified in ths aloosn *A sossn nssds s ssn ilka<br />

s fish nssds a blcycls*. wMls this sight exprwse<br />

s notion of female autonomy snd lndspsndsncs whloh is<br />

valusbls in sons contsxts, it la dangerous snd<br />

dlvislvs In s soclsty llKs or own, whsrs progressiva<br />

ssn snd wossn hava to units in s corson struggle<br />

against exploitation snd opprssslon in sll its fonas.<br />

A liberal or bourgsols fssiniss which sssks<br />

squsllty with ssn within ths existing order sust slso<br />

bs attacked. This kind of fsslnlsa is on ths<br />

aacsndsney In South Africs snd fits in vsry wsll<br />

with ths 'total strategy' to which capital and ths<br />

ststs srs cosslttsd. Totsl etratsgy involvss<br />

utUisino sll ths rssourcss svsilsbls to change<br />

South Africs in ssys thst ansbla thoss in povsr to<br />

rewaiin in possr. Xt lnvolvsa giving privileges to<br />

s sslsct group of people - apsclflcslly aoas groups<br />

of urtosn blscks - st ths SKpsnss of ths *vaat majority<br />

of blocks in ths rursl srsss. In ths ssss ssy,<br />

bourgsols feminism involvss lncrsssing ths prlvllsgss<br />

of sows groups of Middle clsss sossn st ths axpanss<br />

of the vast ssjorlty of sossn in South Africs. This<br />

kind of fssiniss sight involvs change, but not<br />

progrsas.<br />

In ths crisis SS Srs presently fscing there is<br />

no roos for sny slllsnos vlth rsdlcsl or bourgsols<br />

feminists. Ths euthors of 'Orgsnising Sossn' srs<br />

clearly ssntlng to distance thsaaalvsa fros both<br />

positions, but this rsojjirss s sors rigorous<br />

ststsssnt of ths socialist fssinlst position. Ths<br />

wsy forward for socialist fsednlata doss not lis in<br />

ths 'equal snd active psrtlclpstlon of wossn in sll<br />

orgsniaatlona ' (*XP 21i22). Obviously tha<br />

authors srs ssnsltlvs to ths *pull* ths organisations<br />

snd lssuss thsy cits hsvs for black working clsss<br />

sossn, but in ths present situation more crsstlvs<br />

and Innovative strategies are demanded. St rat eg lea<br />

suoh ss organising around ths sitss in which working<br />

clsss wossn are oppressed hsvs not been prioritised<br />

by socialist or national 1st aovsnsnts in South<br />

Africs. Sites auch as tha hsslth osrs systas In<br />

which woman, both as ths Mjority of producsrs snd<br />

consumer* of hsslth csrs ssrvloss, ars sxploltsd snd<br />

P«fts J6

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