Sex/Gender, Power and Politics: Towards a Theory of the Foundations of Male Authority in the Formally Equal Society

Abstract

In this article I summarize some main points from a larger study which I am doing on theoretical conceptualization of the formal/equal patriarchy of today Although I see myself as a socialist feminist, applying historical materialist method to feminist questions, I am critical of contemporary socialist feminist theory for not taking the issues raised by radical feminists seriously enough; for clinging too closely to the specific Marxian prob lematique of political economy and class, and for not stating the basic problem as one of power transactions in the relationship between women and men as socio-sexual beings My position is that in order to develop a feminist theory of patriarchy, we must transcend the 'field of knowledge' of economy, class and work much more decisively than the socialist feminist theory of today does We must establish a specific theoretical problematique ( field of knowledge), that of 'political sexuality', socio-sexual relationship, and love In doing this we can very well use historical materialism as guiding threads' Characterizing patnarchy as a political sex/gender system, the core of my theory is constructed in terms of a specific sex/gender exploitation, which is essentially non-economic but social and human-matenal.