What was the Political Place for Chinese Women?

In imperial China (pre 1949) women were limited as they originally did not obtain many rights; in fact they were “virtually non-existent”.  (Vess, 1998) equality. In 1949 drafts were formed to push gender equality and reshape China to great power with more job opportunities for women  (Richard, 1999) such as factory work, magazine writers become a communist official and obtain educational degrees (Miller, 2008). However both genders still remain unequal in wages, as women get paid 78 cents less than men  (Richard, 1999), proving that  it is still thought that women are “less capable then men” (Miller, 2008).

Some regulations have been altered to attempt to equalise China. Such as new marriage Laws were introduced to protect the welfare of women from domestic violence and prostitution as it was not frowned upon if husbands assaulted their wife’s. A re-newel contract was produced every year, which stated if both members of the relationships wished to remain married. Also to show to the rest world that China is a changing country that is capable of providing an equal range of diverse faculties, a broadcast of the improvement in women rights was publicized globally.

Mao Zedong famously quoted “Women hold up half the sky”  (Miller, 2008) his attitude towards the push for gender equality was evident. This was intentionally a technique for creating awareness on issues that affect women in China for example: women’s rights, one-child policy, abortion, health and education and according to law, women must have equality for the concepts listed above (Richard, 1999).

Working to hold up half the sky

As previously stated many laws were altered in the hope of equalising China; however traditional laws were overlooked.  (Nosotro, 2000)Foot binding was a startling revelation, as Confucian customs grimaced at any mutation of the human body.  (Miller, 2008) It continued for centuries until the hassles from nationalist party on women’s rights in 1920. As quoted by the missionary Gladys Alward: “… [Foot binding] was against God’s design.”  (Nosotro, 2000). Nevertheless the fashion washed through China up until it was banned as Mao Tse-Tung and the Communist Party rose to power in 1949 hoping to gain control of China by 1950. He also banned other unfair treatments towards women such as inequality and as a result gave women (moreorless : heroes & killers of the 20th century, 2010 ) equal rights as men, establishing a marriage law that is renewable every year (Miller, 2008)and also gender discrimination.  (Richard, 1999)  He believed the above did not benefit the country and pushed the idea of gender equality believing that it would build China to a “…World Power…”  (Miller, 2008)