Women Power

The Revolution of Women’s Power Feminine politicians, doctors and scholars become more and more active as time passes by. Now women’s roles are more eclectic and assorted, revealing the rise of feminism. Tracking back to an earlier era, women’s lives were not substantial and did not flourish like this. Their powers were extremely limited in the mid 19th century compared to modern society. As the famous political thinker De Tocqueville stated: “American women never manage the outward concerns of the family, or conduct a business, or take a part in political life; nor are they, on the other hand, ever compelled to perform the rough labor of the fields, or to make any of those laborious exertions, which demand the exertion of physical strength.”(De Tocqueville)
Women could not participate in politics, could not contribute to family wealth, and even could not concern themselves with affairs beyond the range of home. Awakened by the weakness of women’s voices at that time, many predominant feminists emerged, such as Beecher and Stanton. They devoted themselves passionately and profoundly to fighting for women’s rights, though there were still some differences between one another. Beecher wrote A treatise on domestic economy conservatively to express women’s desires to be independent and Stanton published the famous women’s “declaration of independence”—Declaration of Sentiments radically claimed “all men and women are created equal” (Stanton 201). By comparing their works in politics, family status and jobs and education; past and modern society, feminists have made progress and have figured out that the more democratic and fairer status women possess, the more respect society shows to women and the more advanced society it will be. People’s right to vote is their basic right to publish their political opinions and their desires. Back to the mid 19th century, Beecher is more conservative compared to other feminists. She discouraged women participating in politics, but supported the idea that women should be more effective and active in educating young males, not to speak of vote right. The opposed notion from Stanton strongly advocated that “It is the duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred tight to the elective franchise.” (Stanton 202) She is an active and strong supporter of everyone’s equality, as in Declaration of Sentiments, Stanton used the same format as Declaration of Independence to protest men’s tyranny of ignoring and repressing women’s rights. During the progressive era, Stanton even put into practice a fight for suffrage which contributes more to the victory of gaining right to vote: “Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone organized the Equal Rights Association (1866). However, conflict over the Fifteenth Amendment, granting black male voting rights, resulted in the first feminist schism and the creation of two separate woman suffrage organizations. The more radical Stanton and Anthony formed the American Woman Suffrage Association." (Moon 41)
While in the modern era, Beecher's statement is no longer valid, Women now can vote as independent individuals. During the presidency of President Wilson, Wilson agreed to grant women the right to vote but not in constitutional amendment. After more years' struggle and cooperation, finally women's suffrage is ratified by the States. (Hill 75) In comparison with women's numb appearance before this when they did not care about any politics, the fulfillment in suffrage not only urges women to perform more actively, but also increases women's confidence in themselves which can make the country more vigorous. Moreover, it stimulates women to learn more so that they can be more responsible and thoughtful in political affairs. Thus, the right for women to vote has achieved great success and satisfied Stanton and many other feminists' pursuit. This also remarks women's progress in approaching equality and democracy. Branching from women’s limited roles in the politics, women’s employment was once another concern and struggle in the history. In Beecher's mind and observations, women are more likely to behave exaltedly as good educators, influencing mothers and sagacious guides without participating in any other careers especially in politics; “commit the exalted privilege of extending over the world those blessed influences, that are to renovate degraded man.”(Beecher 200) Nevertheless, Stanton resisted men’s monopoly on “nearly all the profitable employments”. (Stanton 201) Indeed, at that time, women could not take up occupations because men thought women could not hold any properties at that time. Employment opportunities were limited: high paid jobs were not given to women like teachers, lawyers and doctors (Stanton 201); only pink-collar professions like nurses and waitresses were available, which are all low-paid work. (Moon 25) Nowadays, women’s professions pervade in every field because of the diversity of jobs. It’s no longer like what Beecher said, that women should stay at home to focus on household and educating kids. Later on, women entered the workplace like mills and factories. (Lapsansky 287) As more and more women have rights, they began to ask for better working conditions, such as working hours and wages, however, their wages belong to their husbands earlier. In the early postwar years, labor movement focused on protective labor legislation, but by the 1960s, wage justice for all became a priority. (Moon 185) Until now, women have received the same treatments and requirements as men do and they are completely independent at work. People believe that women can do everything that men are capable of. The work issue has been addressed perfectly too, which reached Stanton’s ideal view about employment. Gender equality is depicted at large and meanwhile women’s wisdom or different perspectives make work more effective and successful. The work rights for women also helps cultivate a competitive consciousness for men, functioning as a stimulus for everyone to work hard. Based on this understanding, it shows more developed, more democratic, and more just a society that embraces contribution of intelligence from various sources.

Education is an essential part as it is a foundation to achieve more advanced vocations. In the early era, women were considered being inferior, intelligently and morally, and that is also what Beecher thought. Many early feminists like her believed women were uneducated. The opposite view about education is against that all colleges were closed against women from Stanton. She wished to “encourage women to speak and teach, as she has an opportunity, in all religious assemblies”. (Stanton 202) However, time is changing and people’s thoughts are improving: “In the post-Civil War years, women established clear connections between raising children to be good citizens and betterment of their own lives through education. Between 1865 and the 1890s, several women’s colleges opened, and many colleges instituted coeducational programs. This growth of college and universities programs provided new opportunities for both men and women.” (Moon 25)
What Beecher and early feminists thought now certainly is not valid any more. Currently, everyone can go to colleges if they have enough ability to handle school work, with no gender discrimination and no class discrimination. Education now becomes a necessity that everyone needs to possess. There even is a statistic that, at present, the number of women in college is higher than that of men. This trend proves the advancement that feminists have achieved. Education will make women perform better in every area in life. It is enlightened that women have huge potential to be explored as a result. Marriages serve as turning points in women’s lives. In the past, Beecher preferred the view of subordination that "there must be relations between magistrate and the subject." In the case of marriage, women can follow their own wills to choose married or single, which husband to marry. (Beecher 198) It is more like a granted right to choose the obedience by own wishes, which agrees with modern society. In the same position, Stanton similarly opposed "making her civilly dead if married". (Stanton 201) In fact, Stanton worked hard to pass a law--"Married Women's Property Act" which granted many property rights for women. (Lapsansky 290) Before that, husbands could abuse wives, women's rights and properties would all belong to husbands if they married, women even would be taxed if they worked outside home. However things improved smoothly: "Romantic love and a belief in a more equal marriage relationship took firm foot in this era…because of the increase in female labor and the previous suffrage victories that empowered women to rethink their status in society. "(Moon 86) In marriage case, Beecher's words is universally right till now. Women sticked to this idea to encourage each other reject men's mistreatments in marriages. The movement in marriage followed the right path and achieved the women's independence successfully. It ensures women's voice to be announced, women's rights to be protected and women's equality in marriage to be balanced and respected.
Women's rights now have successively secured by the efforts devoted by large groups of feminists and years of protesting and movements. There are still some deficiencies about women's status and rights in today's society; yet compared to the past one and a half centuries, women have effectively strived for their properties in politics, employment, education, marriage and other areas, based on these outstanding feminists and their theories.

Source:
Beecher, Catharine E. A Treatise on Domestic Economy (excerpt) in Opposing Viewpoints in American History. William Dudley, ed. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. Print.
Hill, Jeff. Woman's Suffrage. Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, Inc., 2006. Print.
Lapsansky-Werner, Emma J. et al. United States History. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Prentice-Hall, inc., 2010. Print.
Moon, Danelle. Daily Life of Women During the Civil Rights Era. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood, 2011. Print.
Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, “Declaration of Sentiments” in Opposing Viewpoints in American History. William Dudley, ed. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. Print.