Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism
And Other Arguments for Economic Independence
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3.3 • 24 Ratings
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
A “brilliant,” “engaging,” and “valuable,” (Financial Times) exploration of why capitalism hurts women and how socialism, when done right, can bring economic independence, better labor conditions and, yes, even better sex.
In Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism, acclaimed ethnographer Kristen R. Ghodsee argues that unregulated capitalism disproportionately harms women—at work, at home, in government, and in the bedroom. Having spent years researching what happened to women in countries that transitioned from state socialism to capitalism, Ghodsee claims that by rejecting the bad and salvaging the good, we can adapt some socialist ideas to the twenty-first century and improve our lives.
This book is a spirited, witty, and deeply researched exploration of why socialism—when done right—can lead to economic independence, better work life balance, and yes, even better sex. It's become increasingly clear to women that capitalism isn’t working for us, and Ghodsee is the informed, lively guide who can show us the way forward.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Capitalism is damaging to women’s economic and psychological well-being, while a shift toward democratic socialism—and its emphasis on equitable hiring and mandated parental leave—would enhance their lives. This is the central argument that University of Pennsylvania professor Kristen R. Ghodsee puts forward with wit and unassailable logic. And yes, sex is a real factor in Ghodsee’s equation: When employers and society treat (and pay) men and women equally, women are more independent, have more control over their professional and personal lives, and are more likely to demand fulfilling sexual experiences. It’s simple economics!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Eastern European studies professor Ghodsee (Lost in Transition: Ethnographies of Everyday Life After Communism) expands her viral New York Times op-ed into a passionate but reasoned feminist socialist manifesto for the 21st century. Drawing lessons from the history of women's experiences under mid-20th-century state socialism and then under the capitalism that followed its collapse, she argues that "unregulated capitalism is bad for women, and if we adopt some ideas from socialism, women will have better lives." Ghodsee devotes the most space to sexuality, arguing that in societies that have economic equality by gender, reproductive freedom, and social safety nets, women are freer to pursue their own desires. She also posits that the depression caused by living in a sexist society can squash heterosexual couples' libido and male-female emotional connection, supporting this idea with data from studies of women in East and West Germany, Hungary, and Poland. And she delves into the benefits of full participation of women in the work force, especially in the public sector, supported by childcare and freedom from "statistical discrimination"; visible presence of women at top levels of government and business; and women's participation in the political sphere. Pointing to successes not only in Communist countries but also in Scandinavian social democracies, Ghodsee's treatise will be of interest to women becoming disillusioned with the capitalism under which they were raised.
Customer Reviews
Contrary to popular belief...
Kristen Ghodsee is an academic, she’s spent years studying Eastern Europe, for the other comments to simply dismiss this book as propaganda shows their hand on their ignorance.
Smart, Funny, and Mercifully Short
A great overview of socialist feminism for those tired of Western girlbossery and liberal, lean-in narratives of success. The idea is not to try harder, but to change the system that perpetuates structural inequalities of all kinds for both men and women.
To the angry commenters
In the words of the author, “If you don’t give a whit about women’s lives because you’re a gynophobic right-wing internet troll, save your money and get back to your parents’ basement right now; this isn’t the book for you.” For everyone else, this is a delightful and well-researched book that I highly recommend.