*In the name of God
*Very good discussion. I am really interested. Thank you very much. I am interested in following articles. *Elham* On Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 9:15 AM, mohammad zulfikarsiddiqui < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Change in Woman's Legal Position in Europe *by M J Bahonar* *(Translated > from Persian by Shams al-Huda )* > ------------------------------ > > A woman in the tribal and barbaric societies was considered a subhuman > beast or a chattel used to fulfil sensual needs and required to perform > menial and worthless jobs. She was a bonded labourer who lived only to be > exploited by man in whatever manner he deemed fit. She did not live to enjoy > life or exercise human rights and privileges. > > Later, in semi‑barbaric or half‑civilized human societies, woman continued > to be the subject of debate, and different opinions were expressed about her > such as: > > ‑woman is the abominable creation of the devil; > > ‑she does not have a human soul, hence no life in the Hereafter; > > ‑women's deeds are not acceptable to God; > > ‑being a means of satanic seduction, she should be physically tortured; > > ‑death, poison, fire and the serpent are lesser evils compared to her; > > - girls should be buried alive to wash away the scars of disgrace; > > ‑woman is a human being, but was created to serve man. > > These and other such views in regard to woman have been expressed by the > ancient Romans, Arabs, Frenchmen and Athenians. > > Europe's civilized societies recognize woman as a human being but deprive > her of many a human right. They even did not consider her to be a citizen of > the state, nor granted her any personal rights. A girl was required to > accept anyone selected by her guardians as her husband. > > She was only the means of fulfilling the carnal desires of man and > maintained for this purpose. She was used to work on farms and at home on > the one hand, and, on the other, to satisfy man's sexual passions; beyond > this she had no significant legal protection. > > Before the advent of the Industrial Revolution, European families lived a > simple and modest life; women helped in agriculture and household affairs. > They occasionally kept themselves busy with some small handicrafts within > the household. However, the family and social life of a woman, along with > her husband and children, was confined to the premises of her home, enriched > by the environment of mutual love and affection. The Industrial Revolution > brought into existence large industrial complexes and heavy industries. The > need for large numbers of workers resulted in the break-up of the family. > Women and children had to leave the warm family atmosphere of their villages > and were dragged into industrial cities and towns. Hard and tiring working > conditions, break-up of families, unlawful mixing of women with men in the > work premises, the pressure of sexual urges on both sides, the erosion of > familial sentiments, the exploitation of unprotected and unsheltered women > by the managers of industrial houses in order to satisfy their lusts, > resulting in the spread of corruption, prepared the ground for a revolution. > > > The women felt that the burden of life had fallen on their shoulders and > they had been deprived of all sentiments and privileges of a pleasant family > life. They had lost their husbands, their children, their honour, their > chastity and everything else. They realized that although the war had > devoured millions of men and youth, and the factory owners were in urgent > need of women to keep the wheels of industries moving, yet they never > attached any value to them and continued to oppress them. Moreover, they > were not even paid proper wages. Discrimination between men and women > continued. The women were dragged into all types of corruption and moral > pollution. The unsheltered and unprotected women, crushed under the pressure > of such a life, were compelled to surrender to this forced life of indignity > and sub‑human existence. > > They felt that they had lost everything: they had to turn the wheel, to > carry the burden and yet keep their mouths shut. They had to tolerate > oppression yet abstain from protests under its crushing weight, Apparently, > they were working shoulder to shoulder with men, but, in fact, they were no > more than the oppressed beasts of burden fallen captive in the hands of a > handful of profiteers. Every hour they had to surrender to all and sundry, > suffering severe indignities for meagre wages. > > The pressures caused by this atmosphere aroused their feelings and > encouraged them to protest and strike resulting in their eventual arrests > and killings. > > Finally as a result of continued efforts, through speeches and writings, > they found their way to the centres of authority and penetrated into the > legislative assemblies. Slowly and gradually, they not only achieved the > goal of equal pay for equal work, but also achieved equal rights with men > with the right to participate in all spheres of activity. The question is, > how far has this freedom and equality of rights in all spheres been to the > benefit of men and women or how far has it been harmful to them? This is the > subject of another debate to be discussed some other time. > > > > -- The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "English Learner's Cafe" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/english_learners?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
