AQA AS Sociology: Comparing Liberal, Marxist and Radical Feminist Views
Homework type: Essay
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Summary:
Explore key differences in liberal, Marxist, and radical feminist views on gender inequality in AQA AS Sociology for a deeper understanding of women’s oppression.
AQA AS Sociology – Feminist Perspectives on Women’s Oppression
Feminism stands as one of the most influential strands within the sociological tradition, dedicated to illuminating and challenging the enduring inequalities between men and women. Long marginalised, women’s voices have found resonance in the theories and activism that have emerged since the nineteenth century, advocating for legal, economic, and cultural transformation. Yet, “feminism” is not a monolithic ideology. Within the United Kingdom, as elsewhere, a diversity of feminist perspectives has thrived, with each offering its own analysis of the nature and sources of women’s oppression and prescribing varied routes for change. This essay will examine three key feminist perspectives encountered in the AQA AS Sociology curriculum: liberal, Marxist, and radical feminism. By considering their distinctive analyses, solutions, and criticisms, the discussion seeks to provide a critical, comparative understanding of the range and complexity within feminist thought. Ultimately, these approaches share a common foundation in recognising gender inequality, but they differ markedly in explaining its origins and remedies—differences that have shaped both academic debates and practical struggles for women’s liberation in Britain and beyond.
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Liberal Feminism – Reformist Approach to Gender Equality
The Essence of Liberal Feminism
Liberal feminism, rooted in Enlightenment ideals of liberty, reason, and equality before the law, contends that women’s subordination arises chiefly from entrenched legal and social discrimination. Classic liberal feminists—such as Mary Wollstonecraft in the eighteenth century and Millicent Fawcett in the Victorian era—argued tirelessly for a level playing field that would enable women to fulfil their potential, free from artificial barriers. In contemporary British society, liberal feminists stress that progress comes not from overthrowing current structures, but from reforming them through rational legislation and evolving social attitudes.Diagnosing Oppression
Central to liberal feminism’s analysis is the belief that discrimination—manifested through pay gaps, glass ceilings, political underrepresentation, and stereotypical socialisation—lies at the heart of inequality. This perspective foregrounds the persistent impact of outdated gender norms, such as the expectation that women should prioritise childrearing over career advancement, and the limited visibility of women in leadership roles across business, politics, and media. The challenge, for liberal feminists, lies in rooting out these biases through accessible legal redress and proactive social policies.Pathways to Change
Liberal feminists have spearheaded some of the most significant legal reforms in the UK, notably the Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. These milestone statutes established the principle of equality before the law and have been augmented in recent decades by the Equality Act 2010. Beyond legal measures, liberal feminists campaign for widening access to education and careers, challenging gender stereotyping in schools (as seen in the “gender-neutral” initiatives in the curriculum), and promoting positive role models—such as the increasing visibility of women in Parliament or in boardrooms.Signs of Progress and Limits
Sociological analysis points to signs of gradual but undeniable change. For example, research by the Office for National Statistics reveals that the gender pay gap has narrowed over recent decades, and girls now outperform boys in many stages of secondary education. Similarly, studies such as that of Jonathan Gershuny have noted an upturn in men’s participation in housework, though women still do a disproportionate share.However, critics charge that liberal feminism’s optimism can be misplaced. Radical and Marxist feminists assert that by relying primarily on legal and attitudinal change, liberalism neglects deeper, hidden currents of oppression—such as the undervaluing of “women’s work” and ongoing domestic exploitation. Furthermore, the assumption that rational reform can dissolve entrenched structural power relations is viewed by some as naïve.
Critical Perspectives and Ongoing Influence
Liberal feminism retains significant influence in shaping contemporary debates about gender equality, as evidenced in discussions about equal pay, parental leave, and gender diversity initiatives in public and private sectors. Nevertheless, critics argue that it often fails to address inequalities that are rooted in cultural values or the economic structures underpinning society. These critiques have prompted the emergence of other strands within feminist thought, which attempt to grapple with issues liberal feminism leaves unresolved.---
Marxist Feminism – Capitalism and Women’s Oppression
Marxist Feminism Defined
Marxist feminism draws inspiration from Karl Marx, seeking to embed the analysis of gender inequality within a broader critique of class and the capitalist system. Prominent Marxist feminists such as Margaret Benston, Fran Ansley, and Silvia Federici have argued that women’s oppression cannot be separated from their roles within the capitalist economy. According to this view, the family operates as a key institution for maintaining both class and gender hierarchies, with women’s unpaid labour sustaining the system.Women in the Capitalist Economy
From a Marxist feminist perspective, the primary source of women’s oppression is their economic subordination as both wage earners and unpaid domestic workers. Women’s unpaid housework is seen as vital to the reproduction of the labour force—a point made powerfully by British sociologist Ann Oakley, who noted the devaluation of domestic labour and its invisibility in economic statistics. Additionally, women are described as a “reserve army of labour,” easily absorbed or discarded by the labour market according to the shifting needs of capital—a reality starkly visible in periods of economic crisis, such as the widespread redundancies facing women after the post-war economic downturn.Fran Ansley's well-known comment that “wives are takers of shit” captures the emotional burdens imposed on women, who are expected to absorb the anxieties and frustrations of working-class men, themselves oppressed by the economic system. Friedrich Engels, writing in the nineteenth century, contended that monogamous marriage and the patriarchal family structure arose to secure inheritance and property for men, thus binding women to a subordinate role in both private and public spheres.
Transforming the System
For Marxist feminists, legal reform alone is insufficient. Systemic change requires dismantling the capitalist system itself, along with the family structures that help reproduce it. Some advocate for communal child-rearing and collective domestic labour, reminiscent of early Soviet experiments or contemporary co-housing arrangements. The feminist struggle, in this view, is inseparable from broader class struggle.Criticisms and Contemporary Challenges
Marxist feminism is not without its detractors. Critics note that its analysis is rooted in a traditional nuclear family model, less prevalent in contemporary Britain where single-parent families, same-sex parenting, and shared custody arrangements are increasingly visible. Others argue that by focusing so heavily on capitalism, gender-specific forms of oppression that cut across class lines are sometimes neglected. Functionalist sociologists, such as Talcott Parsons, have also argued that the family brings emotional fulfilment for women, though this view is increasingly contested.Recent developments—such as the rise of precarious “gig economy” work and the flexibilisation of labour markets—have reignited debates about the relevance of Marxist feminist analysis to modern conditions. Campaigns around unpaid care work, childcare provision, and equal pay continue to reflect Marxist feminist concerns, even when not framed in explicitly Marxist terms.
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Radical Feminism – Patriarchy as the Core of Women’s Oppression
Core Claims of Radical Feminism
Radical feminism, emerging visibly in Britain during the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s and 1970s, identifies patriarchy—the systematic, overarching dominance of men over women—as the fundamental engine of women’s oppression. Unlike liberal or Marxist feminists, radical feminists see all aspects of social life—including law, religion, sexuality, culture, and especially the family—as saturated by patriarchal power.Patriarchal Control and Female Subjugation
From the radical feminist viewpoint, the roots of gender inequality stretch deep into the social fabric. Women’s unpaid domestic labour is conceptualised not just as economic exploitation, but as a means of perpetuating control. Furthermore, sexuality and the body are highlighted as sites of male dominance, with issues such as sexual violence, objectification, and reproductive control taking centre stage in the radical feminist agenda.Central to this perspective is the critique of the nuclear family, viewed as the primary institution through which gendered oppression is reproduced across generations. Germaine Greer, an influential British radical feminist, famously advocated for the establishment of female-centred living arrangements (matrilocal households), seeking to liberate women from dependence on men.
Strategies for Resistance
Radical feminists have often promoted separatism—the formation of women-only spaces in which to develop alternative forms of identity, culture, and solidarity untainted by male influence. Some, such as the proponents of political lesbianism, have argued that choosing to forgo heterosexual relationships is itself an act of resistance against patriarchal norms.Campaigns for reproductive rights, the establishment of women’s refuges, and consciousness-raising groups exemplify radical feminist practice, as seen in organisations like Women’s Aid, established in the UK in 1974 to support women fleeing domestic violence.
Criticisms and Adaptations
The radical feminist perspective has been the subject of intense criticism, including from within the women’s movement. Critics like Jenny Sommerville have suggested that radical feminists ignore significant legislative and social gains—such as the right to divorce, participation in the workforce, and shifts in sexual attitudes. Others accuse radical feminism of essentialism, painting all men as oppressors and failing to acknowledge the diversity of female experiences shaped by race, class, or sexuality.Nonetheless, the enduring influence of radical feminism can be seen in debates around sexual violence, “rape culture” on university campuses, and the #MeToo movement. Recent scholarship has attempted to adapt radical feminist thought to acknowledge intersectionality, recognising that patriarchy does not operate in isolation from other forms of social division and inequality.
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Comparative Analysis: Contrasts and Interconnections
Each perspective offers a distinct analysis of the sources and solutions to women’s oppression. Liberal feminism highlights discrimination and legal barriers, seeking to address them incrementally within the current system. Marxist feminism locates oppression in economic structures, with the capitalist mode of production at the root of gendered exploitation. Radical feminism, however, sees patriarchy as the key and calls for profound cultural as well as structural transformation.Their theories about social change diverge accordingly: liberal feminists favour reformist gradualism; Marxist and radical feminists often envisage more comprehensive upheaval. These contrasting approaches explain the different stances towards the family, the state, and the prospects for alliances with men.
A key limitation of each perspective lies in its focus. Liberal feminism, though effective in winning legal reforms, often struggles to address deep-seated cultural or economic power dynamics. Marxist feminism can underplay gender-specific oppression that is not reducible to class. Radical feminism has been accused of idealism and exclusion of difference.
In response, more recent feminist approaches—embodied in black feminism, intersectional theory, and queer feminism—have sought to weave together analysis of multiple axes of power and identity. This has become especially relevant in contemporary Britain, marked by increasing diversity and more complex patterns of inequality.
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Conclusion
In summary, liberal, Marxist, and radical feminism each offer powerful—but different—explanations of women’s continued disadvantage in British society. The first gives us insights into the importance of reform and institutional access; the second draws attention to the economic underpinnings of exploitation; the third reveals the depth and pervasiveness of patriarchal power. While each approach has contributed to social gains and informed policies—from anti-discrimination laws to domestic violence support—none alone is adequate to the complex, shifting realities of gender in contemporary Britain.Going forward, it is essential that feminist analysis remains attentive both to the specificity and the intersectionality of oppression, recognising the ways that gender, class, race, sexuality, and other forces interact. In this way, sociology as taught in the UK can continue not only to analyse the roots of inequality but also to shape the struggle for a fairer society in which every individual can flourish, regardless of gender.
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