Historical aspects of feminism

Feminism started largely with the temperance movement, as well as within the abolitionist movement. The temperance movement, which sought to ban the legal making, selling, and drinking of alcohol does not appear to have much to do with feminism on the surface, but it was a cause championed by many women who were often the victims of men's drinking -- through abuse and through wasted money that should have gone to the family. This became a politically motivating factor for women, and the fact that women had little or no political power necessarily became a part of the struggle when their voices weren't being heard. This leads directly into the women's suffrage movement, which is itself directly related to general feminist thought and actions, noting the disparity in the social and personal views of women that led to the justification of a denial of voting rights based on sex. The feminist, suffrage, temperance, and even the abolitionist movements all attacked these ingrained social beliefs on highly specific and more broad-based and general issues.

There was also a religious responsibility for the start of feminism, especially from Quakers and similar groups that saw an inextricable link between religion, morality, and social responsibility. Susan B. Anthony came from a Quaker family, and it was the sense of justice she learned in her religion that spurred her on to champion the feminist cause. In many ways, however, one could say that the patriarchal establishment is itself responsible for the development of feminist thought and action, as it was a direct refutation of the patriarchy's arguments and viewpoints that enabled the eloquence and vociferousness of the movement.

Life and society would be very different without Feminism and the success of the women's suffrage movement. The body of elected officials would be quite different, with no Sarah Palins or Nancy Pelosis being taken at all seriously, or even being given attention by the media. The media itself would also be very different, with probably no (or almost no) female anchors or reporters, allowing the male view of society to completely dominate and in effect become (or remain, as it may have been) the only relevant perspective from which to discuss pertinent issues. That is, our entire understanding of the world would be much more limited and narrowly focused. This shows that in addition to the intrinsic problems of injustice, unfairness, oppression and repression that a world without feminism would endure, there would also be practical problems in a reduced ability to explain and engage with our world.