Overview

Here are stories that challenge the conventional views of working class women and their struggles. Strikes and demonstrations throughout the 20th century shatter traditional images of women as passive victims. From the women of Broken Hill, who fought strike-breakers with axes and broom handles in the early part of the century through the 1930s Depression and World War II through to the postwar period, women played an important role in strikes and unemployed movements. Rebel Women also challenges those accounts which see the enemy as 'patriarchy' rather than capitalism, or which deny the relevance of the class altogether. These women fought their oppression alongside working men, as participants in - and leaders of - the class struggle. Frequently they had to confront opposition from middle class or upper class women. Many were sustained by a socialist vision. First published in 1999, this new enhanced edition makes these inspiring stories available to new generations.

Full Product Details

9780645253467

Table of Contents

Reviews

This highly readable collection of essays shows how clearly twentieth century Australian history tends to marginalise these 'ordinary' women and their achievements, to effectively disqualify them from historical memory. The wealth of images in the new edition helps bring the history to life. At a time when both overt and hidden oppression of women are still at unacceptably high levels, it's important to learn from our past struggles. Rebel Women provides inspiration for activists young and old of any gender. Lisa Milner, labour historian

Author Information

Sandra Bloodworth became a socialist in the 1970s Civil Liberties struggle against the Bjelke-Petersen government in Queensland. She was active in the Kortex strike chronicled in this book. Currently on the Marxist Left Review editorial committee, Sandra has written on women's liberation, Marx and Engels on gender oppression, Lenin, and unions' support for Aboriginal rights. Tom O'Lincoln was joined the radical student movement in Germany in 1967 and was subsequently a socialist organiser, unionist, journalist and writer. One major interest has been the Communist Party of Australia and he is the author of Into the Mainstream: The Decline of Australian Communism. His political memoirs The Highway is for Gamblers cover his life as a political activist for 50 years in the US, Germany, Australia and Indonesia. Currently living in residential care, Tom continues his commitment to revolutionary Marxism.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available