Further Analysis - The Sexual Contract by Carol Pateman

Further to my allocated task it was agreed with consent of other group members that I should also familiarise myself with The Sexual Contract by Carol Pateman. It was discussed that further to the aspects Divine servitude that the argument of patriarchy and aspects of prostitution would be worthy to be included in my section of the presentation.

The Sexual Contract discusses the ongoing views that men and woman have not been created equally as opposed to the Social contract discussed by David; that everyone is created equally as provided by Rousseau and other philosophical writers:

"Sexual difference is political difference; sexual difference is the difference between freedom and subjection."

Pateman, C. (1988) The Sexual Contract. Polity Press: UK, p.6.

Indeed through various examples, it becomes apparent that woman have suffered immensely through history as a result of patriarchy and forced servitude: that man is the superior to a woman in all respects. This is best illustrated with the Master/Slave model provided by Nietzsche: the man is portrayed as the 'Master' and the woman subordinated to the position of a 'slave'. Although this view is a rather simplistic relationship in Pateman's terms to the sexual contract: the woman is not a true 'slave' as such.

It is through the contract of marriage that she has a different relationship to that of a slave; the marriage contract is different to that of an employment contract or worker. In the past, the woman is required to provide for the man's needs since it has been her destiny to marry a man, have a family, look after him and not question his authority (the popularised view of females involvement in society throughout history until recently). Although as a human she was free to think for herself, she was not able to express herself without punishment or ridicule. It is with these views it is important in answering a question regarding servitude since in the modern day it happens less frequently and is frowned upon; in the nineteenth century this would be the opposite and accepted by society at the time.

These are the views that feminists have fought for so long; the aspects of liberty, freedom and equality for woman to be the same as men: as 'free institutions' so to speak. Further to Pateman's views, she discusses the role of prostitution with regard to the sexual contract with some surprising results.

In Pateman's view, prostitution is a form of patriarchy although it is the female's choice to become a prostitute:

"The story of the sexual contract also supplies the answer; prostitution is part of the exercise of the male sex-right, one of the ways in which men are ensured access to women's bodies."

Pateman, C. (1988) The Sexual Contract. Polity Press: UK, p.194.

On the other hand, Pateman shows that prostitution was not always controlled by men and not slavery; women were free to exercise their right to sell sexual services as they so chose. In the UK, the 1885 Criminal Law Amendment Act forced prostitutes to seek protection by men, therefore, returning the unequal balance of the sexes back in male favour. Prostitution, in her view, is not slavery because the female is not bought or sold and is not his property; only her sexual service are for sale for a particular period of time. This is an interesting concept since the popularised view is that prostitutes have no choice and are slaves. In some cases, prostitution and the sex industry are increasingly becoming classed as 'paid work' and would therefore make the argument of prostitution as slavery redundant. Yet these arguments need more evidence to be considered true and authoritative

In summary, Pateman identifies the struggle that females have endured throughout history and attempts to discuss why this is the case. Yet, female inequality continues in the modern day through sexual discrimination, stereotyping and chauvinism. The female struggle from forced servitude to equality with their male counter-parts provides an excellent argument to answer the presentation question on the basis of work and voluntary servitude.