2. Literature Review

2.1 The Definition of Feminism

The development of the feminist theory went through three stages. The first stage is to emphasize equality between men and women for equal work power, economic power and legal power, the famous representative is Simone de Beauvoir. Second stage emphasize gender differences and different, as the representative are Tori Amos in British, Elena sue and Luce in France, and Anna in the United States. They thought, with the aim of equality between men and women as the women’s liberation is repeat and reinforce a given language, did not create a new language. In practice, ignoring the real differences between men and women, women from belong to one dominated by men as definition, and as the center of the structure. It is easy to think of China, although China itself is not western sense of the feminist movement, also does not have the corresponding feminist theory, but does not rule out since the founding of the women’s development in the practical level and forming a sort and isomorphism in the west.

 Feminism is also called feminism, the feminist movement, women’s rights, it is a social theory and political movement that means to end the sexism, sex exploitation and oppression, promote equality and create sex class. Except in the criticism of social relations, feminists also focuses on the analysis of the gender inequality and boost the bottom, such as women and transgender rights, interests and issues.

Western feminism is produced in the European and American countries, in order to eliminate sexual discrimination and realize the equality between men and women as the target of trend and movement. In the 18th century after the French revolution, Allen published women and the declaration of the rights of citizens, marked success of the western feminism trend and movement. Nearly three centuries, the influence of western feminism is not only in the west, but also the world. At the beginning of the last century, Chinese intellectuals, introduced the word “feminism”, the western feminist movement and the feminist thoughts were also introduced, especially since the late 1980 s, because of reform and opening up, Women’s world congress for the fourth time held in Beijing in 1995, China's feminist theory developed rapidly, and fruits.

2.2 Major Categories of Feminism

2.2.1 Socialist Feminism

Socialist feminism is a branch of feminism that focuses upon both the public and private spheres of a woman's life and argues that liberation can only be achieved by working to end both the economic and cultural sources of women’s oppression. Socialist feminism is a two-pronged theory that broadens Marxist feminism's argument for the role ofcapitalism in the oppression of women and radical feminism's theory of the role of gender and the patriarchy. Socialist feminists reject radical feminism’s main claim that patriarchy is the only or primary source of oppression of women. Rather, socialist feminists assert that women are unable to be free due to their financial dependence on males in society. Women are subjects to the male rulers in capitalism due to an uneven balance in wealth. They see economic dependence as the driving force of women’s subjugation to men. Further, socialist feminists see women’s liberation as a necessary part of larger quest for social, economic and political justice.