Abstract: Claudia von Werlhof
"Capitalist Patriarchy and the Struggle for a Deep Alternative"
1. Discussion and critique of "globalization" as the peak and turning
point of western civilization in contrast to the generally propagated
idea of western development as the best of all possible ones.
2. "Capitalist Patriarchy" as a concept to explain globalization as the
end of a process that started around 5000 years ago with patriarchy and
crystallized into capitalism 500 years ago.
3. New definition of "patriarchy" as a "war system" with a "gnostic" world
view that are the outcome of the continuous negation of the principles
of "matriarchal" societies.
4. New definition of "capitalism" as the latest stage of patriachy in
which the patriarchal utopia of a possible total replacement of matriarcal
principles, women and nature is undertaken not only ideally but also materially
via so called "progress", especially in the fields of technology and economy.
5. The destructive character of capitalist patriarchy is summed up as
that of an "alchemical system" in formation that cannot but lead to the
collapse of the globe.
6. The alternative to this system has to be a "deep" one or it will fail.
This means that it has to recognize the "roots" of capitalist patriarchy
at all levels of global and historical existence.
7. Most important will be a new non-patriarchal understanding of nature
and our relationship with her as a living-loving interconnectedness and
interdependence of all beings. From there it can be developed a new non-patriarchal
relationship between the sexes and the generations, inventing a new non-exploitative
"economy" - like the "subsistence-" and the "gift-economy" -, new egalitarian
"politics" without hierarchies and oppression, and a new non-religious
and non-patriarchal "spirituality" that keeps people united in peace and
in conflict, in diversity and in resemblance.
8. Many alternative movements in the whole world are already in this process,
for historical reasons most of them in the south and most of them initiated
and guided by women. Their thinking, acting and feeling shows a level
of "dissidence" with western globalization and capitalist patriarchy that
is needed to defend life on the "two fronts" we are facing: against the
system and in favor of a new world.
9. Movements that are either active on only one of the "two fronts", or
do not address to each of the most important dimensions in life sooner
or later are stepping into crisis. This is still the case with many movements
in the north.
Biographical Information
Claudia von Werlhof (Austria), born in 1943 near Berlin in Germany,
single mother of a son, professor for womens studies at the Department
for Political Science and Sociology at the University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Co-founder of international womens studies and research in Europe. Empirical
research in Latinamerica. Books and articles on a feminist theory of society,
economy, ecology, technology, the concepts of nature, the theory of patriarchy,
problems of methodology, social movments, international politics and globalisation
published in different languages and continents. Activist against globalization
at the grass roots. Last book in english language: There is an Alternative.
Subsistence and Worldwide Resistance to Globalization, London (zedpress)
2001 (ed. together with Veronika Bennholdt-Thomsen and Nicholas Faraclas).
Last article published in the US: "Using, Producing and Replacing Life?
Capitalism as an Alchemical System", in Immannuel Wallerstein (ed.): Capitalism
in the Longue Duree, 2004 (forthcoming).
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