A Marxian Analysis on The Bond Between Capitalism and the Oppression of Nigerian Women Since Colonial Times

Introduction

• The paper discusses the impact of capitalism on the oppression of Nigerian women since colonial times.
• Explores how British colonialist policies facilitated capitalist exploitation.
• Capitalism's global exploitation of women is inseparable from its practices.

Role of Women Pre-Colonialism

• Precolonial African women had significant societal roles as leaders and traders.
• Proto-feudal relations led to the peripheralization of women's roles.
• European colonialism and capitalism intensified women's oppression.

Marxism and Women's Oppression

• Marxism provides a framework to understand gender-based oppression.
• Capitalism relies on exploited labor, institutionalizing women's subjugation.
• The historical transformation of production forces affected women's societal roles.
• Engels and Marx on the evolution of gender relations and class development.

Capitalism's Impact

• Capitalism thrives on exploitation, with the proletariat class being oppressed.
• Women's labor became a cheap commodity under capitalism and patriarchy.
• Capitalism's sexist nature structured women's societal roles as inferior.
• Psychological effects of capitalism included objectification and social exclusion of women.
• African women faced compounded challenges due to racism and inferiority complexes.

Colonialism and Nigerian Women

• Colonial capitalism sought to maximize profits by exploiting colonies.
• The introduction of cash crops altered social production, marginalizing women.
• Colonial policies favored European capitalists at the expense of indigenous people.
• The colonial government ignored female education, further marginalizing women.
• Women faced double oppression, both in labor and societal roles.

Political and Social Exclusion

• Colonial rule systematically dismantled women's political and social institutions.
• Women-led anti-colonial movements, such as the Aba Women Revolt, resisted colonial exploitation.
• The imposition of taxes and lack of political representation exacerbated women's plight.

Conclusion

• Capitalism inherently places profits over human needs, perpetuating women's marginalization.
• Policies enacted by colonial powers aimed to exploit rather than liberate women.
• The struggle against capitalism is linked to broader gender and class struggles.
• True emancipation requires addressing the exploitative structures of capitalism.