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Assignment 4

In Silvia Federici’s reading, she described the degradation of women’s social status in the period of Capitalism. The article had mention that in 14th century, the women can got half the pay of man, but in the mid-16th, they only earn one-third of man’s wages. This fact states the degradation of women’s social status. During 16th century, women’s power was being crushed, they were forcing to worked on the jobs that were unpaid or low paid. They were excluded from many wages occupation, even they had the same job with males, they still earn less compared with males.
In 19th century, there were more women that became full time housewife, in relation with men. The rate of more women were dependence on men was increasing, because there has no access to earn wages for unmarry women, they were under the condition of poverty, economic dependence. The only thing they can do were to rely on men.
During the transition of Feudalism to Capitalism, there was a time period called Patriarchy. In that time, women were lived as a ‘Wages-slavery’: The man was receiving his wife’s wages, the woman didn’t get the money even she worked so hard. In this way, women was impossible to have their own money.
In conclude, women’s social status was being degraded. Their wages get low, and the chance of work opportunities were limited for them, the way for women to survive was rely on men. They were also being insult and assault by men with inequality treatment. Their social status has became more inferior to men.