Marxist Effects Of The Civil War On Women

Additionally, as women have gained further progress towards equality in the labor force as men, this has led to the emergence of Marxist values into American society as result of the Civil War. Some of these values include a classless society, without one dominating or governing sect of people over another. They are not only seen in the women labor movement, but on the battlefield as well; through men were coming together to fight for a mutual cause that has broken down social class barriers formed by wealth. For example, the non-fiction novel, Union Soldiers and the Northern Homefront, stresses the bonds formed between Union soldiers on the battlefield. Regardless of social standing or race, men treated each other as relative equals, and were
willing to sacrifice themselves for others if needed. Without the war, this form of “brotherly bond” would never have been formed between such disparities in wealth or cultural differences. On one account, the literary work mentions and man named “Brewster” from the North who fought alongside many African American troops. Although black soldiers were deemed “non-dependable” during battle, he argued that “African Americans add considerably to the strength of the army for they can do many of the duties in the rear,” that were necessary to the maintenance of the combat force and often “fought nobly,” most the time (Cimbala 311). Accounts such as these provoke the early beginnings of racial equality in the United States, as well as setting aside social class standings in order to pursue the greater cause of a war victory for the North. Therefore, as the line of social standings between men and women have become noticably blurred, Marxist values could finally be implemented into our social structure in reverberation of the war.
Understanding Marxism, is a text that describes the development of Marxism as a theory, and ultimately, it’s appearance in some aspects of American society. Classical Marxism argues that “productive forces, the social form of labor and production or the economic foundation of society, generate material and intellectual conditions that communal group dynamics must respond to by a filtering process based on social hierarchies” (Boucher 55-56). This is essentially what occurs during era of the Civil War. As more and more women and lower class citizens partake in labor roles while other male laborers are on the battlefield, these “group dynamics” in society are created where all classes of citizens can learn to work together for a cause. Thus, these “social hierarchies” become decreasingly relevant as society opens its eyes to the possibilities of a collaborative service
force. Finally, I would like to address how Civil War social roles and gender differences are viewed today, through modern literature, because of these labor and Marxist movements that have impacted society over almost two-centuries.
The novel, March, and Modern Civil War Novels: The Still Unwritten War?, are literary works that demonstrate, and accept the understanding of these societal changes that have occurred after the Civil War. The novel, March, is written in the 21st century and clearly contrasts with the understanding of gender roles in society when comparing to the 19th century novel, Little Women. The author, Geraldine Brooks, acknowledges women importance to the war effort of the time, in addition to their drive to gain equality with men. In one instance, Marmee is ranting to Mr. March about the flaws of the education system, saying that “so we are drilled in foreign grammars and vocabulary. But in how we apply this knowledge, we are censored (Brooks 63). Here, the Brooks is stressing how gender disparities are hindering the productivity of women, and that something should be done in order to amend these rules. Overtime, an understanding of women equality in all social aspects has been increasingly acknowledged, leading to the author highlighting moments of female rebellion for change in her novel that go unseen in Little Women. Additionally, Modern Civil War Novels: The Still Unwritten War, gives the reader a perspective on women involvement in fulfilling male roles
during the Civil War that otherwise would have gone untouched in a similar novel published in the 19th century. Clearly, the Civil War has served as a valuable vehicle for breaking down the walls between gender, race, and social classes in the United States. As the country plunged into peril from wartime economic constraints, it was the duty of women and those of a lower social standing to step up and fulfill the roles that served in maintaining the foundation of our economic system. Because of this necessity, we can see the emergence of Marxist values over time that entangle their way into our new American social values. The Civil War was a treacherous event in American history. I would like to present to you how over time, we have developed an understanding for these positive changes that have been implemented, as a result of such atrocities.