School & Society: Ch. 5 Study Questions

1. This chapter tries to show that fifth-century Augustinian thought was one significant point of origin for the subordinate role and status of women in our national history. Do you believe that any of Augustine's views on women and men continue to influence the educational experiences of girls and women today? Specifically, how or how not? Defend your view.

The important question is not whether a given ideology is newer and more up-to-date, but rather whether it is true. "Augustinian," in this context, is nearly equivalent to "antiquated," and is used with a negative slur. Something that is old is not necessarily inadequate; this is an important distinction to maintain.

As regards the continuing influence of Augustine's views, it remains present, but is lessening. While some still cling to these ideas, many people have discounted them altogether, and most have probably not thought so far. The persistence of these views, however, is evidenced both by their longevity and by the vehement dislike and exaggeration with which society reacts to them, namely, in granting unreasonable preference to females in employment and advancement, and denying the clear facts of the situation. Discrimination has been turned on its head.

2. Clearly, the education of girls and women has progressed toward greater parity with the education of males since the time of the early republic. The progressive era was one time during which new opportunities for girls developed most markedly, but it is clear that many of these opportunities were gender-typed. On balance, did the progressive era result in greater or less educational parity for girls?

Crawling is not walking; in fact, crawling prevents you from walking. But crawling, for most people, is part of the incremental process of learning to walk. Speaking from the perspective of the social progressives, the main achievement of the era was the insertion of women and girls into the world of education and employment. Overcoming gender-typing simultaneously was too large a mouthful to swallow, for society, and even for some of the progressives themselves, such as John T. Irving.

Thus, gender-typing was the one step back for the two steps forward.

Assuming the direction is indeed forward, on which question I have my doubts.

3. The Seneca Falls Declaration of Rights and Sentiments is presented as a prominent illustration of a "radical" point of view on the role of women in society. Making clear what you mean by "radical," discuss whether any of the perspectives reflected in that document would be considered radical by most citizens today. Give examples and evidence to support your view.

I actually thought the definition of "radical" given in the text was excellent: "The idea that a political or ideological position is 'radical' stems from that word's meaning 'of or pertaining to the root.' Radical thinking seeks to get to the root of a problem, and radical solutions thus require fundamental change."

With this in mind, it must be recognized that it is not enough to be merely radical; it is important to also be right.

The Seneca Falls Declaration is over 150 years old, and during this time society has developed closely along these lines. While the Declaration was no doubt phenomenally fanatical for its time, it would seem one would be hard pressed to find much dissent from the twelve resolutions amongst the majority of America's population. Take, for instance, the issue of women in the workplace. This idea has followed the familiar but astonishing progression: prohibited - permitted - popular - preferred. Whether this unaccountable preference is merely the apex of society's pendulum swing, or a precursor to even greater extremes, remains to be seen.

4. In the Seneca Falls Declaration was purposely based on classical liberalism, which was the dominant ideology of the time, how could the document be considered radical and extreme in its views? Explain.

This is an instance in which the context of ideas becomes important. It is one thing to argue for freedom from tyranny, it is quite another to argue for freedom from tomato soup, even though the arguments employed may be nearly identical. The Seneca Falls Declaration employed the fundamental ideas of classical liberalism in a new context.

I do not believe that Classical Liberalism, in and of itself, addresses the issue of inter-gender equality. It merely affirms the right of societies and individuals to do as they please, provided they accepted responsibility for the consequences.

Even after 75 years, American society was unprepared to make the leap from Freedom-for-Society to Freedom-for-Women (or at least Freedom-for-Women as defined by the SF Declaration).

5. The article by Mary Leal Harkness was written about 70 years after the Seneca Falls Declaration, and the dominant ideology had shifted from classical liberalism to modern liberalism. To what degree is this shift evident in Harkness's article, and to what degree does it continue to show its roots more directly in classical liberalism? Defend your view with illustrations from the article.

The main distinction between classical and modern liberalism is that the former believes society is freest under little or no government, laissez-faire style, while the latter holds that a great deal of government is necessary to ensure true freedom and equality.

There is a subtle but important distinction between arguing that someone should have access to an education and arguing that the government ought to provide it. Indeed, these days, many people assume that the one implies the other. It doesn't.

Harkness shows her classical liberalism in arguing against social prejudices; she shows her modern liberalism in expecting government to be the cure.