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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