Chapter 5: and Documents: Society and Inequality in Eurasia/North Africa

                In chapter 5, we’re expanding further into the second-wave of civilizations by observing the growing trends of inequalities within the different societies.  The biggest trends of social inequalities can be found in the caste system of India (priests, warriors, merchants/farmers, laborers, and the untouchables/outcasts), the examination system of education in China, the slavery system in the Roman Empire, and the Patriarchy found in all of the rising civilizations.  In India, we were beginning to witness the inequalities emerge of a person born within their caste and the restrictions they face when they prefer to strive for a better life than the one that was granted to them.  They were also encouraged to keep above the substandard performance when fulfilling their appointed duties, or suffer the consequences of being born into a lesser hierarchy in the next life.  Now we learn about the group that are considered so undesirable that they weren’t considered one of the initial castes—these people were the “untouchables” of polluted souls responsible for the deplorable occupations of handling corpses and janitorial duties.  They were discriminated so ruthlessly that people of any higher classes would avoid direct contact with these “outcastes” in order to preserve the ritual purity within their culture.  It appears that the only way out is by accumulating land or wealth, or somehow being related to an “ancestor” residing in a higher caste.  For China, the best chance for a lower classed person to grow out of their class was through education.  School for the most part could be afforded by people with wealth, and with the implementation for an imperial academy, the Chinese elitists were the first group of people entitled to the education to help govern their country better.  Unfortunately this also spawned incidents of educated scholars (sponsored by poorer villages) abandoning their homes to work in favor of the elites.  The chosen child would be able to climb out of their own individual poverty with the help of their village, but by the time their education would approach the point of completion, the educated scholar would eventually turn their focus to benefit their country rather than aid the village and/or cities that relied on the scholar’s prosperity.

                Not only were the inequalities between economic and social classes becoming exceedingly dominant, but it was also seen between the genders as well.  While all of the communities had different ways of limiting the female roles within their societies, Strayer explained the trends of restrictions on women were far sharper in urban based civilizations than in those pastoral or agricultural societies that lay beyond the reach of elites and empires (p.234).  In contrast to the days of the Paleolithic mentality of equal rights and responsibilities, women were seen as a recessive characteristic compared to the dominant males.  In some respect, women were regarded more valuable in the Paleolithic Era with their ability to bear children; the rising relevance of male dominance could stem from the dawn of agriculture and the cultivation of work through hard labor—when the physically demanding labor became increasingly burdensome, the relevance of the male role in the functioning civilization began to favor the prowess of strength, and eventually phased out the contributions of the female roles.  In Athens for example, Strayer quoted Aristotle when he justified his reasoning of the female inferiorities by stating “a woman is, as it were, an infertile male.  She is female in fact on account of a kind of inadequacy.”  Strayer goes on to elaborate “That inadequacy lay in her inability to generate sperm which contained the ‘soul’ of a new human being.  Her role in the reproductive process was passive, providing a receptacle for the vital male contribution.” (p. 237)  Not only were women becoming overshadowed by the surge of male dominance, but any former contribution women initially provided within their communities have now been discredited into submission of inferiority.  The greatest strengths and attributes that could only be provided by the women are now tainted, and seen as something equivalent to a handicap or detriment.  Over the course of time, women of the different cultures would succumb to the inequality, and societies began to rule in favor of patriarchy.

                In our class last week, we were discussing the origins of patriarchy and were curious as to why so many societies fall into these roles.  For the most part, we recognized the role of the differences in male strength, as well as the female suspensions induced during pregnancy and reproduction.  What was expanded in class that helped clarify this foundation was the evolution of entitlements.  With the women restrained in pregnancy, and the men completing demanding labors for his family, we learned that the males gain a sense of pride and accomplishment when they create something for themselves and their dependents.  This development in property not only pertained to the yield in the crops and the development of their home, but it also confined the movements and freedoms of women as if they were a part of this “property” dynamic as well.  In this world, if the man was able to control the fruition of his wife, he would make sure his property would be passed down to his offspring and secure the future of his hard work.  This is a little uncomfortable for me to write about because my own personal beliefs of how people should regard one another are completely contradictory towards these traditional views, but because of this class, I feel that I can better assess why things became the way they were.  My Human Anatomy & Physiology courses instructed us on the masculine and feminine structures of the body that are not exclusive to the reproductive organs; upon the lectures I’ve learned that the measure of strength is not limited to the enhanced sizes of muscles.  Women too can harness the incredible endurances and tasks that have been exclusive to the male role.  From personal experience, there were some female Marines that would be able to keep up (and at times surpass) the male requirements to do pushups, pull-ups, the Marine Corps Martial Arts program, and other combat related training that would characteristically be designated for the men.  I’m not sure if I have mentioned this in a previous post, but science has also proven the adaptability of humans to the habitat they acclimate to; this to me is important to note because cultural differences and appearances are not what dictate an individual’s strength and weakness are, and thus should not be penalized for disadvantages that they would not have the adequate training for.  This being said, it’s why I find myself and my blogs feeling pessimistic about the course of history and its reoccurring trends of unjust inequalities.  I am grateful to understand how societies were conditioned into these “social norms”, but I also recognize that I am continually questioning how a person like me can address these issues and become part of the solution for equality among the sexes and races.  It is a daunting task for sure, and to be honest I know I am not fully accounting what a life would be like if everybody were to get along without the threats of war, or conflicting religions and politics.  It appears that human nature will always strive to become dominant, and if the threat of other creatures rising to power is eliminated (whether it’s the primal survival of animals that eat humans to live, or diseases/microbial organisms that desire a human host), the people’s only enemy they can fight among is themselves—since humans are now the ultimate dominant specie.  With systems like patriarchy to reduce women from being a part of the competition, or religious castes or lack of education restricting a commoner from ever attaining power, the challenge of acquiring ultimate dominance and freedom continue to elude anybody outside the system from ever achieving this goal.  Damn…