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International Women's Day and Working Class History
Beaton, Lynn
http://www.marxists.org/subject/women/authors/beaton/1986/international-womens-day.htmPublisher: marxists.org Year Published: 1986 Resource Type: Article Cx Number: CX22872 In this concise essay Beaton looks at the Socialist roots of International Women's Day. Abstract: -- Excerpt: The beginning of this century saw women in many capitalist countries campaigning for their rights. They fought for the right to work and to organise in trade unions for better conditions, for the right to vote and to join political parties, for higher education and improved health care and welfare services. Women were becoming conscious of the need to challenge their oppression under capitalism and many were drawn to socialism. In December 1908, the American Socialist Party recommended that its branches set aside the last Sunday in February 1909 to demonstrate in favour of women's suffrage. By 1910, the last Sunday in February had become recognised by the women in the Socialist party as 'Woman's Day’. Subject Headings |