Passage 21
Two modes of argumentation have been used on
behalf of womens emancipation1 in Western societies.
Arguments in what could be called the relational
feminist2 tradition maintain the doctrine3 of equality in
difference, or equity4 as distinct for equality. They
posit that biological distinctions between the sexes
result in a necessary sexual pision of labor5 in the
family and throughout society and that womens pro-
creative labor is currently undervalued by society, to
the disadvantage of women. By contrast, the inpidual-
ist feminist tradition emphasizes inpidual human rights
and celebrates womens quest for personal autonomy,
while downplaying the importance of gender6 roles and
minimizing discussion of childbearing and its attendant
responsibilities.
Before the late nineteenth century, these views
coexisted within the feminist movement, often within
the writings of the same inpidual. Between 1890 nd
1920, however, relational feminism, which had been the
dominant7 strain in feminist thought, and which still pre-
dominates among European and non-Western feminists8,
lost ground in England and the United States. Because
the concept of inpidual rights was already well estab-
lished in the Anglo-Saxon legal and political tradition,
inpidualist feminism came to predominate in English-
speaking countries. At the same time, the goals of the
two approaches began to seem increasingly irreconcil-
able. Inpidualist feminists began to advocate a totally
gender-blind system with equal rights for all. Relational
feminists, while agreeing that equal educational and
economic opportunities outside the home should be avail-
able for all women, continued to emphasize womens
special contributions to society as homemakers and
mothers; they demanded special treatment
including protective legislation for women workers,
state-sponsored maternity9 benefits, and paid compensa-
tion for housework.
Relational arguments have a major pitfall10: because
they underline womens physiological11 and psychological
distinctiveness12, they are often appropriated by political
adversaries13 and used to endorse14 male privilege. But the
inpidualist approach, by attacking gender roles, deny-
ing the significance of physiological difference, and
condemning existing familial institutions as hopelessly
patriarchal, has often simply treated as irrelevant15 the
family roles important to many women. If the inpidu-
alist framework, with its claim for womens autonomy,
could be harmonized with the family-oriented concerns
of relational feminists, a more fruitful model for con-
temporary feminist politics could emerge.
125. The author of the passage alludes16 to the well-established nature of the concept of inpidual rights inthe Anglo-Saxon legal and political tradition in order to
illustrate17 the influence of inpidualist feminist thought on more general intellectual trends in English history
argue that feminism was already a part of the larger Anglo-Saxon intellectual tradition, even though this has often gone unnoticed by critics of womens emancipation.
explain the decline in inpidualist thinking among feminists in non-English-speaking countries
help account for an increasing shift toward inpidualist feminism among feminists in English-speaking countries.
account for the philosophical18 differences between inpidualist and relational feminists in English-speaking countries
126. The passage suggests that the author of the passage believes which of the following?
The predominance of inpidualist feminism in English-speaking countries is a historical phenomenon, the causes of which have not yet been investigated.
The inpidualist and relational feminist views are irreconcilable19, given their theoretical ifferences concerning the foundations of society.
A consensus20 concerning the direction of future feminist politics will probably soon emerge, given the awareness21 among feminists of the need for cooperation among women.
Political adversaries of feminism often misuse22 arguments predicated on differences between the sexes to argue that the existing social system should be maintained.
Relational feminism provides the best theoretical framework for contemporary feminist politics, but inpidualist feminism could contribute much toward refining and strengthening modern feminist thought.
127. It can be inferred from the passage that the inpidualist feminist tradition denies the validity of which of the following causal statements?
A pision of labor in a social group can result in increased efficiency with regard to the performance of group tasks.
A pision of labor in a social group causes inequities in the distribution of opportunities and benefits among group members.
A pision of labor on the basis of gender in a social group is necessitated23 by the existence of sex-linked biological differences between male and female members of the group.
Culturally determined24 distinctions based on gender in a social group foster the existence of differing attitudes and opinions among group members.
Educational programs aimed at reducing inequalities based on gender among members of a social group can result in a sense of greater well-being25 for all members of the group.
128. According to the passage, relational feminists and inpidualist feminists agree that
inpidual human rights take precedence over most other social claims
the gender-based pision of labor in society should be eliminated
laws guaranteeing equal treatment for all citizens regardless of gender should be passed
a greater degree of social awareness concerning the importance of motherhood would be beneficial to society
the same educational and economic opportunities should be available to both sexes
129. According to the author, which of the following was true of feminist thought in Western societies before 1890?
Inpidualist feminist arguments were not found in the thought or writing of non-English-speaking feminists.
Inpidualist feminism was a strain in feminist thought, but another strain, relational feminism, predominated.
Relational and inpidualist approaches were equally prevalent in feminist thought and writing.
The predominant view among feminists held that the welfare of women was ultimately less important than he welfare of children.
The predominant view among feminists held that the exes should receive equal treatment under the law.
130. The author implies that which of the following was true of most feminist thinkers in England and the United States after 1920?
They were less concerned with politics than with intellectual issues.
They began to reach a broader audience and their programs began to be adopted by mainstream26 political parties.
They called repeatedly for international cooperation mong womens groups to achieve their goals.
They moderated their initial criticism of the conomic systems that characterized their societies.
They did not attempt to unite the two different eminist approaches in their thought.
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