Among the strong current in the women's movement which feels that there can be no feminism without socialism and no socialism without feminism, a need has been felt for more analysis of the relationship between feminism and socialism and for further development of a feminist-socialist theory and practice.
For this reason, two important international feminist conferences took place in May and June 1977 in Paris and Amsterdam. Both of them brought together women, from all over Western Europe and many other countries of the world, concerned with the issues of feminism and socialism. The reasons for having two conferences are fairly complex and are described in ISIS Bulletin No. 3. In this issue of the ISIS Bulletin we are publishing the complete papers of the Amsterdam feminist-socialist workshop. The papers of the Paris conference will be published in book form later this year by the conference organizers. We are including here a short report from Paris.
The basis of the Amsterdam feminist-socialist workshop was: "No feminism without socialism, no socialism without feminism". Women came together to share their experiences as women and as feminists and socialists and, on the basis of their experiences, to develop further their theory and practice, to carry this into areas which have been largely neglected by other socialist movements or the left generally - the areas of reproduction, the family, housework and personal life. While different perspectives and positions were represented at Amsterdam, most of the women shared common ground with the Dutch organizers of the workshop that socialism is a precondition but not a guarantee of women's liberation; that marxist analysis has been too narrow and inadequate to explain fully the oppression of women: that women are oppressed both by capitalism and by patriarchy.
This was one of the first occasions that feminist-socialist women have been able to get together internationally and it was exciting to be able to meet with other women and to work together on producing our own analyses of such issues as the family; how capitalism and patriarchy are interrelated and support each other; the relationship of production and the reproduction of the labour force; sexuality; housework; socialization of child care; women in waged labour and in trade unions; organizing women; the relationship of feminist-socialists to left-wing movements; political parties and trade unions; the relationship of women's struggle and class struggle.
On the other hand, since it was the first time most of the women had met internationally as feminist-socialists, much of the time was spent getting acquainted and trying to understand the different situations, positions and perspectives of the feminist-socialist current in the various countries. Although it was an important first step, the workshop concluded that much more work and exchange is needed among feminist-socialists. One of the suggestions was to use the ISIS International Bulletin as a means of exchange.
Almost all the papers and participants in the workshop are from industrialized and advanced capitalist countries of Western Europe with a heavy preponderance from Northern Europe, particularly the Netherlands and Britain. Women from several other countries of Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America were present, but, except for the Bolivian women, did not give written papers.
Isis International Bulletin No. 6 "Feminism and Socialism Part II" will continue the discussion on feminism and socialism with contributions from other countries and continents. Articles, letters, comments and other materials from readers are very welcome. In the next ISIS Bulletin we will also include an extensive resource listing of materials available on all aspects of the issue of feminism and socialism from several different perspectives and situations - from advanced capitalist countries, countries with various types of socialism, Third World dependent capitalist countries. We hope in this way to contribute to the international exchange and analysis of the relationship between feminism and socialism and to the further development of feminist-socialist theory and practice. We do not have all the answers but together with other women we can continue the work that was begun in Paris and Amsterdam.