Feminism for the 99%, Book Review Example

When discussing feminism, they typically mean a fight for independence or positions of power in society. While this may be the norm, “Feminism for the 99%” by Bhattacharya et al. (2019) offers a different viewpoint on the necessity to concentrate on the matters that truly matter to make the process of leadership and women’s rights simpler. This does not, however, imply that the lack of female leadership is not a significant concern. Climate change, lack of affordable housing, and poor healthcare are among the most critical challenges that women face globally but are hardly ever discussed in feminist discourse. According to Bhattacharya et al. (2019, 16) book “Feminism for the 99%: A Manifesto”, the financial meltdown is only one aspect of the current societal overall crisis, which is also concurrently a crisis of the socioeconomic, ecology, and political systems. Neoliberal capitalism is the primary driver behind all these interconnected crises (Bhattacharya et al., 2019, 16). The separation of the governmental and the socioeconomic is part of the construction of neoliberalism. Additionally, it is asserted that social interaction with the “free market” should be permitted, as if the planet and its inhabitants are not what enables this system to exist and spread in the first place (Bhattacharya et al., 2019, 16). Neoliberalism’s promotion of itself as the only way ahead is ingrained in its design.

The book is set in a political and social context, mentioning the political class and differences in the social classes. The manifesto’s authors refuse to look for or offer a middle ground because doing so would only serve to reinforce the structural issues it seeks to end. It opposes the idea that the two incompatible ideologies of conservatism and liberalism, which in reality serve and attempt to sustain the same power structure as the only possibilities and steer clear of centrist concessions (Mandal, 2021, 538). Instead, it raises significant concerns about the future individuals to want to create. The authors challenge the readers to think of where and from who will draw the line separating the economy from society, the natural world from civilization, output from reproduction, labor from family, and who gets to make these decisions.

The book’s writers discuss a manifesto that is more inclusive for all members of society and is modeled after the communist manifesto of Marx and Engels (Bhattacharya et al., 2019, 21). Marx and Engels wrote the Communist Manifesto to outline a strategy and explain the proletariat’s universal overthrow of the bourgeoisie (Sassen, 2012, 187). The wage workers, known as the proletariat, typically have little to no assets and sell their labor. Conversely, the privileged do very little yet control the means of production and earn more. Feminism should integrate and target capitalism, a bottom-up approach to managing important issues affecting women, rather than focusing on more freedom in terms of power (Bhattacharya et al., 2019, 16). Therefore, the argument made in “Feminism for the 99 Percent: A Manifesto” is that almost 99 percent of the populace is influenced by capitalism, leaving only one percent of people (Mandal, 2021, 537). The 1% left out is the political classes, primarily unaffected by society’s challenges. The discussion by the authors attempts to redefine, reorganize, and redirect feminist initiatives and battles by appealing to 99 percent of the population (Mandal, 2021, 538). It argues that new alternative pathways must be identified and mapped out to address the challenges brought on by the assault of capitalism, environmental destruction, climate change, and human enslavement.

Feminism for the 99 is more than a basic manifesto, even though the author’s manifesto is an enlargement and extension of Marx and Engels’ original manifesto. Their efforts to combat neoliberal capitalism are more revolutionary. The authors openly criticized neo-liberal capitalism, which favors the wealthy, privileged, and powerful. Additionally, the authors are unafraid to mention names of what others may feel like exploitation. From the study conducted and the details given in the book, I am convinced that more can be done to enhance equality. The first step is addressing the issue of capitalism because that is where the problem lies. The fact that the study revolves around and includes women is an addition to what has been done before. As mentioned earlier, feminists barely look at the economic crisis and capitalism topics.

For any well-known author, creating a feminist manifesto is a difficult challenge. However, the writers want to offer an alternative that rejects divided history, such as feminism, without encouraging erroneous notions of uniformity (Bhattacharya et al., 2019, 5). This manifesto details the many ways that neoliberal capitalism permeates every aspect of our daily lives, including, to name a few, sexuality, gender, ecosystem, and healthcare (Mandal, 2021, 538).  Additionally, eleven distinct theses are explained throughout the book. It makes it easier for the readers to identify the root cause of a problem and follow up with the solutions provided by the authors. These eleven main points act as outliers and compass points for a feminine world that is not just focused on surface issues. The content and explanation by the authors give a glimpse of hope that capitalists can be replaced and a fairer world can be established by those considered vulnerable in the community. According to the three feminist authors, the only force that can overthrow power structures and institutions is militant feminist activity.

The book also serves as a reminder of capitalism’s reliance on a regulatory division for a booming economy, which is always put ahead of the well-being of the people who contribute to and drive it. The manifesto is quite different from what feminists would expect. The major strength is that the authors do not bow to the norms or what is expected of them. Instead, the writers criticize abstract declarations of universal sisterhood that do little to address injustice’s complex expressions and interrelatedness, breaking with historical feminism’s entanglements with prejudice and colonialism. The book’s feminism has drawn criticism. The authors unequivocally assert that the issue is that feminism has long been mistakenly associated with liberal feminism (Mandal, 2021, 537). The mainstream media has long supported and promoted liberal feminism under the guise of a movement that unknowingly enables women to adopt neoliberal capitalism. Sadly, this has come at the expense of women, mainly migrants and women of color.

The author’s manifesto draws inspiration from the recent surge in feminist activism worldwide and makes the straightforward but compelling argument that feminism should not begin or end with the push for more women to hold leadership positions in their fields. It must put the needs of the underprivileged people first and fight for the society they deserve (Mandal, 2021, 537). And doing so entails criticizing capitalism. Feminists must be anti-capitalists, fight for equal rights for all races and be ready to be called eco-socialists. These are hard choices, but they need to be made for the better of society.

The organization of the manifesto can quickly be followed and understood by the audience. The manifesto begins with the authors sharing a specific incident about Facebook COO Sherly Sandberg, which is a great way to draw the readers’ attention.  Additionally, the book has sub-titles that make it easy for the readers to follow what the authors are talking about. The organization of a book might encourage or discourage the readers from reading it. The good thing about the text is that it can serve the purpose of a vast audience. A student, an activist, a scholar, or a politician can easily understand the authors and relate to the points they are trying to put across. Such skills are rare yet instrumental in addressing matters affecting society.

This manifesto does not intend to outline specific steps to achieve an ideological objective. It is almost impossible to have the exact measures and actions for change. To attempt to strive toward something better, which can only be accomplished via trying, this manifesto aims to present the questions and concepts that are required. Given that it is only the beginning, this manifesto needs to be read, discussed, and presented to the public. This manifesto can ultimately alter how people think about and interact with the world. People have the choice to consider the harm this system has created, is inflicting, and will continue to do before deciding to take a different path. Individuals can only hope to gain a deeper understanding of one another and ourselves via involvement in this battle. Even though it is a complex subject that few people want to write about, the authors have done a fantastic job of sticking to the main themes.

References

Bhattacharya, T., Arruzza, C., & Fraser, N. (2019). Feminism for the 99%:: A Manifesto. Verso Books.

Mandal, S. (2021). Book title: Feminism for the 99 Percent: A Manifesto. Authors: Cinzia Arruzza, Tithi Bhattacharya, Nancy Fraser, 2019. Verso: London, New York. 85 pages including Postface. US $11.91 Paperback. ISBN-13: 978-1-78873-442-4, ISBN-13: 978-1-78873-444-8 (US EBK). Radical Feminism and Its Possibilities. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 22(1),536-540. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi0msGEpZD7AhXfhP0HHRedBtMQFnoECBUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fvc.bridgew.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D2388%26context%3Djiws&usg=AOvVaw2DiSbkSnvuCJOuU2XSwWRA

Sassen, S. (2012). Marxism and Globalization: Revisiting the Political in the Communist Manifesto. In The Communist Manifesto (pp. 187-204). Yale University Press. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjfiprtpJD7AhUt_rsIHd0qABQQFnoECBYQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.degruyter.com%2Fdocument%2Fdoi%2F10.12987%2F9780300163209-019%2Fhtml&usg=AOvVaw0v2yYevc34_mzWKCSAqG6D