3.3 - Changes in the role of women Flashcards
What were communist attitude towards women before the 1950?
To achieve a communist socieity. Mao needed to end unequal treatment of women. properties of their fathers first then of their husbands and if they became widows were even under control of their eldest son. The birth of son was celebrated daughter was treated as costly expense. Girls had little or any education and many were pushed into arranged marriages when they were teenagers. Husbands were expected to pay a dowry once the marriage had happened. A women could not own property constitution did not allow them to vote their husbands could divorce them they could not divorce their husbands. Women were kept as concubines.
Mao showed his communist to equal rights for women in the Jiangxi and Yana soviets. CCP insisted that women were equal of men in 1950 CCP passed a marriage law.
What was the 1950 marriage law?
Arranged marriages and the payment of a dowry was banned
The minimum age of marriage was raised to 18 years for women 20 years for men
Keeping concubines was forbidden
Both men and women had equal rights to request a divorce
Men and women in arranged marriages were entitled to divorce their partner women were given property rights to own buy and sell property infanticide forbidden.
CCP introduced policies to transform the role of women in the family. It was traditional for families to be large women could increase the risk of dying In 1953 the CCP introduced policies promoting birth control. Began training midwives to adopt procedures made childbirth safer.
Collectivisation promised to reduce the many tasks of women for who were managing o home by providing mess halls for communal eating women could play a greater role in economic life
Changes for women extended further than marriage and family : CCP was eager to get women involved in the political life of the country. In electrol law 1953 women were give equal rights to vote. All China Women’s federation established in 1949 to promote policies towards women.
What were the impact of the policies towards women?
Marriage - Peasants opposed the marriage law, especially in the western areas where large Muslim population. Use of matchmakers to arrange marriages continued. Rural marriages continued with exchanging gifts. Women who divorced their husbands were treated as out cast. Average age of marriage rose in the 1950s
Family life - In 1954 China’s biggest pharmaceutical company began producing contraceptives
Resistance to birth control in rural areas
Child birth became safer with the use of trained midwives and procedures such as sterilisation of medical equipment.
Economic role - Women’s property rights did not last long private property was outlawed in the campaign for collectivisation. Husbands resorted to wife selling during famine. Literacy levels among women rised. Proportion of women in the work force rose from 8 percent in 1949 to 29% by mid 1960s.
Political role - In 1949 69 women were elected to the central peoples political consultive committee accounting for 1 percent of membership. In 1953 election to national peoples congress 12 percent of deputies elected were women. Womens participation in politics was opposed by men but there were some acceptance by women could hold roles. First minister of health and he first minister of justice.
