The feminist-Marxist critique: from the analysis of domestic work to theories of social reproduction

Abstract

The article traces the key aspects of feminist-Marxist thought, starting from its early days in the 1920s to its recent developments around the theory of social reproduction. Defined as the set of daily tasks and activities necessary for life and work capacity, reproductive work is at the heart of these theoretical developments. After having examined the first feminist critiques of Marx’s work, the article explores the debate on domestic work that took place in the 1970s. It then sets out to show how feminist-Marxist thought has evolved since then towards a broader analytical framework that allows understanding reproductive work inside and outside the domestic sphere: paid and uncompensated, recognized and unrecognized. Lastly, the article reviews recent developments in feminist-Marxist thought, bringing to light an unitary approach to oppression through the development of a theory of social reproduction.