Towards Strategy (Continued from p.2)
 White racism
and male chauvinism, two characteristics of capitalism, unquestionable
exist, but they exist as conservative leftovers from the era of industrial
revolution, nationalism, the bosses and state power. We still must
deal with them, but we must recognize the new forms of power that
now prevail.
We must also
question why the corporations --- business, not politics---seem to
emerge as the power that can effectively circumvent the threat of
black revolt by altering the slave economy that produces it. The way
the corporations will go about managing and, therefore, neutralizing
that threat should indicate the extent to which the system can absorb
and control socio- -economic change
A similar
pattern might develop if the dissatisfaction that women feel today
becomes a political forc.e The dissolution of the family, legal and
inexpensive abortions, day-care center for etc., would not be possible,
for economic reasons alone, under present American capitalism,
The two positions
outlined did not constitute a theoretical split; they actually tended
to overlap. They also give a very narrow view of the range of ideas
discussed at the conference.
We generally
agreed on certain areas of weakness within the movement:
- the need to develop an analysis of contemporary capitalism;
- the need to define the enemy;
- the phenomenon of decentralization: does it imply an erosion of
state power? Why are the corporations supporting it?
- how does technology control us? What is its potential as a liberating
force?
- the need to reveal the subtle and often subliminal methods by which
people are controlled,
We did agree
that we all have a great deal more to discuss and that we should work
to involve all concerned women.
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The
Radical Women of Seattle held a series of classes last summer on "The
Women Question in America: the saga of a 3-century struggle for equality,"
which featured speakers on different aspects of the fight for women's
liberation. The classes were open to men and were well-attended, Janet
Hews of RWS reports that after the last lecture "a couple of male
members of the audience... almost apologized for being members of such
an oppressive sex." RWS has also written a very impressive eight-page
Program and Structure covering the major areas of the women's
struggle and how RWS is organizing to fight them.
Chicago women
arranged a series of discussion sessions for women delegates to the
Democratic Convention last August, intending to raise questions of concern
to women. Although there were 1,300 delegates to the convention, their
participation in decision-making was minimal. The elsewhere-discussed
events of that week, though, prevented these sessions from taking place.
Women around
the New York City Resistance group have recently formed a "women's
independent caucus" to try to deal with the problems which are
particular to resistance women.
A group called
The Feminist Rebellion has been formed at UCLA. It is planning to organize
a feminist union on the campus. They want the University to offer classes
on feminine cultures, history, political forms and economic (continued
on p.7)
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