按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
country； by the Woman's Clubs。 Little groups of women； drawing together
in human relation； at first； perhaps； with no better purpose than to
〃improve their minds；〃 have grown and spread； combined and federated；
and in their great reports； representing hundreds of thousands of
womenwe find a splendid record of human work。 They strive always to
improve something； to take care of something； to help and serve and
benefit。 In 〃village improvement；〃 in traveling libraries； in lecture
courses and exhibitions； in promoting good legislation； in many a line
of noble effort our Women's Clubs show what women want to do。
Men do not have to do these things through their clubs； which are mainly
for pleasure； they can accomplish what they wish to through regular
channels。 But the character and direction of the influence of women in
human affairs is conclusively established by the things they already do
and try to do。 In those countries； and in our own states； where they
are already full citizens； the legislation introduced and promoted by
them is of the same beneficent character。 The normal woman is a strong
creature； loving and serviceable。 The kind of woman men are afraid to
entrust with political power； selfish； idle； over…sexed； or ignorant and
narrow…minded； is not normal； but is the creature of conditions men have
made。 We need have no fear of her； for she will disappear with the
conditions which created her。
In older days； without knowledge of the natural sciences； we accepted
life as static。 If； being born in China； we grew up with foot…bound
women； we assumed that women were such； and must so remain。 Born in
India； we accepted the child…wife； the pitiful child…widow； the ecstatic
_suttee_； as natural expressions of womanhood。 In each age； each
country； we have assumed life to be necessarily what it wasa moveless
fact。
All this is giving way fast in our new knowledge of the laws of life。
We find that Growth is the eternal law； and that even rocks are slowly
changing。 Human life is seen to be as dynamic as any other form； and
the most certain thing about it is that it will change。 In the light of
this knowledge we need no longer accept the load of what we call 〃sin；〃
the grouped misery of poverty； disease and crime； the cumbrous；
inefficatious； wasteful processes of life today； as needful or
permanent。
We have but to learn the _real_ elements in humanity； its true powers
and natural characteristics； to see wherein we are hampered by the wrong
ideas and inherited habits of earlier generations； and break loose from
themthen we can safely and swiftly introduce a far nobler grade of
living。
Of all crippling hindrances in false ideas； we have none more
universally mischievous than this root error about men and women。 Given
the old androcentric theory； and we have an androcentric culturethe
kind we so far know； this short stretch we call 〃history；〃 with its
proud and pitiful record。 We have done wonders of upward growthfor
growth is the main law； and may not be wholly resisted。 But we have
hindered； perverted； temporarily checked that growth； age after age； and
again and again has a given nation； far advanced and promising； sunk to
ruin； and left another to take up its task of social evolution； repeat
its errorsand its failure。
One major cause of the decay of nations is 〃the social evil〃a thing
wholly due to the androcentric culture。 Another steady endless check is
warfaredue to the same cause。 Largest of all is poverty； that
spreading disease which grows with our social growth and shows most
horribly when and where we are most proud； keeping step； as it were；
with private wealth。 This too； in large measure； is due to the false
ideas on industry and economics； based； like the others mentioned； on a
wholly masculine view of life。
By changing our underlying theory in this matter we change all the
resultant assumptions； and it is this alteration in our basic theory of
life which is being urged。
The scope and purpose of human life is entirely above and beyond the
field of sex relationship。 Women are human beings； as much as men； by
nature； and as women； are even more sympathetic with human processes。
To develop human life in its true powers we need full equal citizenship
for women。
The great woman's movement and labor movement of to…day are parts of the
same pressure； the same world…progress。 An economic democracy must rest
on a free womanhood； and a free womanhood inevitably leads to an
economic democracy。
End