Some
would like to think that any populist regime, extolling
discipline, moral values, social or civic order would
necessarily be inflexible, intolerant and especially very
patriarchal in nature.
Nothing could be further from the truth, while such
regimes believe strongly that government should maintain
a reasonable degree of civil order, they also call for a
more nurturing and caring society i.e., such as one
possessing a high degree of honor, civism, courtesy and
self-restraint. While Populism agrees that civil
protection and national security may be ensured by
military/police surveillance and enforcement practices, a
populist government would rather seek to instill moral
code of conduct and notions of self-discipline.
The movement understands that no
amount of surveillance or force can prevent crimes if the
sources of social problems in our countries are not
adequately dealt with and sensitively tackled by all. In
order to be successful in this venture, all members of
communities must equally be
involved
including: men, women youths and elders... no one must be
neglected in this great popular democratic struggle.
A Populist movement would seek to
represent the largest, broadest coalition of citizens but
would do so by reestablishing leadership roles for each
section of its population. While today we generally
accept that members of lobby groups and various
non-governmental organizations substitute themselves on
behalf of any or all members (in the greatest Liberal,
Marxist tradition), a Populist Feminist movement would
rather give the voices back to each constituent by
reestablishing representational group majorities in our
political forums. Populism, in this case, would reject
both a sociopolitical melting-pot (where individualism
and culture are lost) and a multicultural union (that
repudiates all sense of identity and personal
interest).
A populist movement would advocate a
women leader,
as it would a youth leader, a leader for each branch of
government and each sector of industry. Such a populist
view--in advocating a dual leadership voice at the
top--would insure an equal partnership role in all
governmental domestic and foreign state affairs.
The adoption of this standpoint
would both counteract
opposing
arguments advanced by Marxist feminism (which claims to
reject all notions of biological differences anyhow), and
challenges a restrictive democratic liberalism (that
purposely maintains an arbitrary system of rule).
The truth no Relativist/Marxist dogma can escape is that
people (both men and women) are born biologically
'Different': they have distinctive needs; pursue
different goals; seek different careers, orientations and
interests in life. Why should an entire section of the
population be denied representation on the grounds of an
outdated, inadequate and unequal form of governance?
The majority of self-proclaimed
feminist-Marxists/Liberal governments in the past, have
never lived up to their claim of attaining equal
opportunities for all--simply because they never
acknowledged any differences amongst people to begin
with. The establishment feigns to unite people on
political grounds while denying their most basic and
intrinsic identities; they endlessly talk of equality
while maintaining strict controls over power hierarchies,
they protect ruling elites and allow no changes to the
status quo.
Populist Feminist attitudes
toward women are governed by economic as well as
biological, social and political considerations. The
movement sees the need to adopt the
preamble
reinforcing the line that: "Women are partners with men
and are not in competition with them."
The goal of patriotic women should never be to campaign
against patriotic men but to fight the national populist
campaign alongside them. This demand for equality would
then work both ways.
Another important point is that women must receive equal
pay for equal work and must be defended by an active
Women Labour Organization in every profession and
industry.
Populist Feminism promotes strong family
values. It
opposes on principle gay marriage, divorce, birth-control
and abortion. The movement encourages a) the sanctity of
marriage; b) the raising of the nation's health standards
and their tangible results: healthy children.
Feminist Populism sees
Marriage as
serving the greatest cause to the nation since it
enriches lives, fulfills hopes of founding families,
provides social safety nets, and benefits communities.
Therefore the state must encourage these unions by
offering financial and other incentives. Women who have
to leave full-time employment to marry must be eligible
for marriage vouchers--such loans and repayment of debts
can be spread over very long periods of time, reduced or
canceled altogether; for a first child by 25 per cent and
for subsequent children by the same percentage of the
outstanding sum.
If a woman who has no husband bares a child it does not
bring upon the baby the stigma of bastardy or against the
mother the accusation of immorality: for a woman who has
given a child to the Nation has performed her greatest
patriotic duty. In other words, a populist movement would
see her as neither an unwed or wed "woman", but a
"mother".
To help unmarried mothers who have
to go out to work, there needs to be generous tax
reliefs, and to remove the social stigma, the State
should take responsibility for rearing fellow-citizen's
children.
There may be financial inducements for mothers, such as
rent rebates, the reduction of electricity and gas bills
by 50 per cent and preferential treatment on transport,
in queues and in shops.
Populism firstly believes that the status of the mother
should be upgraded. The movement acknowledges the special
and indispensable role of women in society, it must do so
through slogans such as: "Women are the first educators
of the new generation";
"Motherhood has its own battlefield and readily displays
a natural quality of self-sacrifice";
"Women are different, but the equals of men--partners, a
perfect whole in the production-reproduction cycle."
To help women fulfill their natural function of
motherhood, all influences which might harm the unborn
child are to be avoided. Women are advised not to smoke
or drink alcohol during their pregnancies and to keep
themselves fit through exercise and a healthy diet.
Pre-natal clinics should be set up
to monitor the health of the expectant mother and her
baby. Post-natal clinics would also need to be run
ensuring the health and well-being of mother and
child.
Populism in principle rejects absolutely and totally
birth control and
abortion. Both
are considered to be crimes against the principles of
Christianity and State and the slogan stating that:
"abortion is little less than child murder," may be
promoted emphasizing this moral position. Of course,
there might be permitted cases where not to abort would
endanger the mother's life, or where the fetus may be
born with life-threatening hereditary defects.
Populist Feminism opposes 'liberal',
'pervasive' and 'depraved' life-styles and habits. The
overt reason for this condemnation is that loose morals
is a sin in the eyes of the Church, it harms the fabric
of society, goes against the laws of humankind and
nature. For this reason a Populist Feminism favors
heterosexual relationships from which a natural union
between a man and woman would be blessed with
offsprings.
Lastly, Populist Feminism believes no commercial
enterprise must become a
capitalist
campaign directed against any citizen especially not
women (as is the case in most markets today). Work is a
necessity but must never force upon any ranks of the
population unacceptable working conditions or degrading
standards. Women are not to be compelled to do anything
that a man would not do himself.
To look after the interests of women in the workplace,
Populist Feminism calls for an active Labour Women's
League. In order that female representatives understand
the problems of their members they will have to spend a
minimum of six month on the factory floors or in
occupational roles in the job market as well as having to
graduate in social sciences.
A nation of finite human resources--which is engaged
in a fight for its very survival--must ensure that every
able citizen is fully employed to his/her best ability. A
nation, and particularly one which is fighting an
ideological populist and
cultural
struggle, cannot afford to risk sabotage
by employing a large dissatisfied labor force. A caring
and compassionate nation must strive to unite all
citizens in a common cause and must insure that the
populist struggle is not waged as war against women but
for Respect, Well-being and Honor.
----------------------------------------------------
Editor's Note: The
objective of this research on Populist Feminism (160 pp.)
is to explore concepts of collective liberal dominance,
and to examine the implications of its use. The analysis
proceeds with a study of competing theories, followed by
a review of underlying frameworks and describes the
practical applications of Populist Feminism (summary
follows).