The Rising of the Women : Feminist Solidarity and Class Conflict, 1880-1917

In this landmark study of American labor history, Meredith Tax charts the actions of women in working-class, feminist, and socialist movements between 1880 and 1917 in the USA. Caught between the hostility of male trade unionists, the chauvinism of male socialist organizers, and the assumptions of middle-class feminists, women workers forged their own demands for economic and political justice in the industrializing landscape of North America. In doing so, Tax argues, a unique form of socialist-feminist class consciousness was created, whose remarkable history is chronicled in this work. With a focus on the histories of the Socialist Party and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), Tax shows how working-class socialist women navigated the terrain between the seemingly oppositional demands for suffrage and labour rights. The Rising of the Women also contains detailed case studies of two germinal moments in American labour history: the uprising of shirtwaist workers in New York City in 1909 - 1910, the real beginning of the International Ladies' Garment Worker Union; and the 1912 IWW strike of immigrant textile workers in Lawrence, Mass., making it an essential text for students of American labor history as well as readers interested in twentieth-century feminism. First published in 1980, the book is reissued by Verso as part of the highly successful Feminist Classics series, where it takes its place alongside texts by Sheila Rowbotham, Kathi Weeks, Stella Dadzie, Lynne Segal and more. The result of years of archival research, Tax blends original source material from the participants of the movements with her own sharp analysis into a rich narrative of women workers' struggle. The Rising of the Women is a classic of feminist labor history whose time has come to find the wide audience it deserves. How working-class socialist women changed the course of American history, with a foreword by labor journalist Sarah Jaffe. In this landmark study, Meredith Tax charts the actions of women in working-class, feminist, and socialist movements during the first upsurge of the American labor movement. From the pioneering efforts of Chicago women in the 1880s to the unprecedented New York City shirtwaist strike in 1909 to the 1912 “bread and roses” strike of immigrant textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and from the Socialist Party to the Industrial Workers of the World, Tax gives us a rich narrative of women workers’ struggles. Caught between the hostility of male trade unionists, the sexism of male socialist organizers, and the assumptions of middle-class feminists, women workers forged their own demands for economic and political justice. In doing so, Tax argues, a unique form of socialist-feminist class consciousness was created, whose ripples touched the suffrage movement. First published in 1980, The Rising of the Women is a classic of feminist labor history, presented here with a new introduction by the author and a new foreword by Sarah Jaffe . "Focusing on the socialist housewives, settlement workers, and left-wing feminists who were the main allies of working women between the 1880s and World War I, The Rising of the Women explores the successes and failures of the "united fronts" within which middle- and working-class American women worked together to improve social and economic conditions for female laborers." "Through detailed studies of the Woman's Trade Union League, the Illinois Women's Alliance, the New York shirtwaist makers strike of 1909-10, and the 1912 textile workers strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Meredith Tax uncovers the circumstances that helped and hindered cross-class and cross-gender cooperation on behalf of women of the working class. In a new introduction to this first Illinois paperback edition, Tax assesses the progress of women's solidarity since the book's original publication."--BOOK JACKET

focusing On The Socialist Housewives, Settlement Workers, And Left-wing Feminists Who Were The Main Allies Of Working Women Between The 1880s And World War I, the Rising Of The Women Explores The Successes And Failures Of The United Fronts Within Which Middle- And Working-class American Women Worked Together To Improve Social And Economic Conditions For Female Laborers.

Through Detailed Studies Of The Illinois Women's Alliance, The Woman's Trade Union League, The New York Shirtwaist Makers Strike Of 1909-10, And The 1912 Textile Workers Strike In Lawrence, Massachusetts, Meredith Tax Uncovers The Circumstances That Helped And Hindered Cross-class And Cross-gender Cooperation On Behalf Of Women Of The Working Class. In A New Introduction To This First Illinois Paperback Edition, Tax Assesses The Progress Of Women's Solidarity Since The Book's Original Publication.

To a turn-of-the-century Marxist like Theresa Malkiel, it was a truism that the modern struggle for women's liberation was born of the same economic developments that produced the class struggle: as women began to work outside the home, they learned to resent their condition of domestic servitude and to demand the same rights as the men of their class. Focusing on the socialist housewives, settlement workers, and feminists who were main allies of working women between the 1880s and World War I, this book explores the successes and failures of the " united fronts" within which middle- and working-class American women worked together to improve social and economic conditions for female laborers.