International University of Sarajevo

Women in a Mans World Final essay Gender and Nationalism CULT 303

Professor: Jagoda Gregulska Student: Envera Sulji 1010250

Sarajevo, June 2013

Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 3 Indira Gandhi .............................................................................................................. 4 Margaret Thatcher ...................................................................................................... 6 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 8 References ....................................................................................................................... 9

Introduction
Marys ambition, she wants to be a politician Shes been dreaming about it since she was a girl She thought, that shed be the one who could change the world Always tryna pave the way for the women in a mans world.1 Those would be lyrics of famous Irish bands song that goes on about this broken world that needs to be fixed and changed and whose heroes need to find new ways for spreading their words of motivation. There are many Marys in this world, not only in politics, with bigger or smaller success, but not quite enough to have needed equality and representation (qualitative above everything else). Despite living in a liberal and democratic world, jobs, careers and spheres are still gendered. While searching for this paper, I came across one forum where certain Mr. Mafioso writes about different topics and life experiences. One of his texts is about women and their place in this world. The way he talked about us and placed us (she should empower you and make you a stronger) in house working only for his (husbands) satisfaction, made me realize we have come nowhere! We might be empowered and liberal and emancipated, but as long as our personality and our skills are reduced to that one characteristic of being wife, things will not change. Just because of this, Ive decided to do a research about two successful women from different parts of the world and how society they come from sees them. Main contribution of this paper would be to the area of researching influence and perception of women in politics and proving that they did not played by mens rules, but simply brought they own and implement them with great belief despite risk of failure.

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/script/wecry.html, retrieved on 05.06.2013

Indira Gandhi
Daughter of the first Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi was a first female to take a post in Indian government. The society is very patriarchal and considers women as secondary citizens, having a daughter is a shame and women are often treated like a merchandise. The way she was raised was very much democratic, due to ideas of her father Jawaharlal Nehru, she was educated in best schools in India and Great Britain. She did not really followed his path and in office held more strict policies. Despite having quite different political stands, she got same nickname as most famous female politician, Margaret Thatcher with whom she had fond relation, Iron Lady of India. There is tendency of female politicians to become more manly as they enter the office, but I would not say that was a case with Mrs. Gandhi. She remained feminine and managed to do her job effectively (considering how big India actually is). Even though some claim that she did not do anything for women of India, we can prove them wrong. Literacy rate grew for 30%, she is symbol of feminism in India, she fought for equal rights for women and their social and economic emancipation. If the home is inadequate, than that country cannot have harmony and no country which does not have harmony can grow in any direction at all. That is why womens education is almost more important than the education of boys and men2- was a part of her speech during the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Indraprastha College for Women in 1974. During this speech she also points out that accepting changes is not merely bad thing and does not require throwing away history of culture. It simply means adapting to new world and its order and accepting good things from both sides (because not all history or cultural traits are good and not everything future brings is bad).

Gandhi, Indira What Educated Women Can Do?; http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/speeches/indira_gandhi_educated.html

Even though many saw her as bad leader, they cannot overrule all things she did for India, things she did were non- doubtful and untouched by her successors. Sudheendra Kulkarni said that: I can neither fully condemn nor fully praise (her)... she killed the spirit of dissent and democracy in the Congress Party. And since that party also happens to be the largest, oldest and, in many ways, the only national political organization in the country, the erosion of democracy in the Congress also meant grievous injury to the democratic process in India as a whole.3 Others also thought of her as someone who brought machismo to Indian politics4 (in a good way). In my opinion, Indira Gandhi was a great leader and true role model. She brought changes she believed are the best for India, rise national pride and represent everyone equally. She focused on mens issues as well as womens and was ready to criticize everyone, whenever they deserve it. What I especially admire about her is the way she balanced her private life and career. She also believed that working women could make good mothers too, provided they organized their time well and received support from their families.5 During her time, the Indian society faced a leader, that one that cares about country and the people, the one that will work to achieve goals she set for her country. Those kind of people are generally misunderstood and their work is appreciated years later. Just like she said: The ones that want to know will find out for themselves6, when being asked about her personality by close friend and colleague. At the end we can say that Indian society at that time did not know what is happening and they just started discovering how and why to be proud of their nation, they had a women to lead them better and severely than any male would do. On the other side, Indira Gandhi manoeuvered herself to power, absolute power, cut down to size the regional satraps, humbled the royalty, seized their purses, nationalised the banks, threatened to abolish garibi, won a war against Pakistan, stared down the US
Somervil, Barbara A., Indira Gandhi: Political Leader in India , Compas Point Book, Mineapolis, USA 2007; page: 95 4 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11-07/india/28094179_1_indian-politics-indira-gandhibiggest-democracies; retrieved on 09.06.2013 5 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-25/people/30440300_1_indira-gandhi-interview-power; retrieved on 09.06.2013. 6 http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-25/people/30440300_1_indira-gandhi-interview-power; retrieved on 09.06.2013.
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Seventh Fleet in the Bay of Bengal, liberated Bangladesh, challenged terrorism in Punjab7 which gives her more credit to be loved than loathed.

Margaret Thatcher
Another lady politician media and her own society never let alone fully supported. Another lady politician who changed history and politics of her own country, by all success she had as well as by all failures she made and never hide. Another Iron Lady that rocked males world. Margaret Thatcher was first British female prime minister that was at the Downing Street 10 since 1979 until 1990. It is still undecided whether Brits are proud or ashamed that she has been this long at the post, but by the length of her rule I would say that they do not mind her much. Unlike Mrs. Gandhi shes not coming from a family of politician, but rather simple grocery owner. She was not educated in politics either, but all her knowledge came with her intellectual quality and interest. The first interaction she had with politics was in 1950s when she twice lost elections by Labour candidate, but that did not stop her. The media remembered her because she was the youngest and only female candidate. One of the first things she did was opposing some Conservative rules and establishing new friendship with Israel. Most discussed decision she took was the issue regarding Falkland island and Argentina, the one Britain won but also the one that emptied their bank accounts and reduced military and naval power. At victory dinner she quoted Duke of Wellington saying that There is no such thing as a little war for a great nation8. Her greatest ally was American president Ronald Regan due to common mistrust to communism, even though she supported all changes Mikhail Gorbachev brought to Soviet Union (by whom she got nickname Iron Lady).

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-25/people/30440300_1_indira-gandhi-interview-power; retrieved on 09.06.2013. 8 http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/book-reviews/margaret-thatcher-irony-and-paradox-690985/; retrieved on 10.06.2013.

Her greatest aim was to change British economy and because of that she reached her own ism- Thatcherism, which many described as the application of a housewife's home budgeting to the national economy, coupled with the encouragement of home ownership and entrepreneurial capitalism.9 The unfortunate thing is that even though she partially succeeded in that intent, the unemployment rate rose and many riots held calling for her resignation or expulsion from the party. But despite her policies, we have to admire her because she was in the office full of males, she had to exercise control over them even though majority of them voted against her, underrated her knowledge and her as prime minister. She step out of the shadow and showed that no matter from what background are you coming, with enough commitment and knowledge you could get wherever you want. Everyone said that even though she was a woman, a lady, she preferred male company whether she praised or condemned them. At previously mentioned dinner for victory at Falklands she finished her speech by saying: Gentlemen, shall we join the ladies?10 a moment many described as happiest in her life. So unlike, Mrs. Gandhi she did not focused much on womens issue, their rights or equality. It could be discussed whether she tried to be a role model by her acts not policies or words, but I doubt it. Majority of people that worked with her said that she was an extraordinary person who worked to improve the image of a country she loved, to show the world that United Kingdom is not sick man of Europe, as was called when she came to the power, but a rather a dominant player in global and European issues. As pointed out by Roy Hattersley her conviction/ motto was: Least government is the best government that did not really followed some of her decisions, mostly in cases when she decided on her own, with paying zero attention to her colleagues opinion or even public opinion.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/08/world/europe/margaret-thatcher-icon-outcast; retrieved on 10.06.2013. http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/book-reviews/margaret-thatcher-irony-and-paradox-690985/; retrieved on 10.06.2013.

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Conclusion
As we could see from these few pages on this two different, yet same women in politics, it is not about how public or your colleagues perceive you, but more how you perceive yourself (in politics as well as in everything you do). Indira Gandhi was a perfect example of a politician who knew that national pride is something people needed, so she played little with psychology and made them aware of themselves and their importance, all in order to build strong, powerful and important India. Margaret Thatcher on the other side did quite opposite. She was the place Britain was put by other governments, so she decided firstly to show them what they actually deal with and then to let people of Britain to feel proud and work on improving national pride. Even though many would not consider either of the two as revolutionary female politicians, I think their role is extremely important because they set their rules by which all others needed to follow if they wanted to stay in the game/ politics. They might not emphasized importance of equal rights for women (that was equal to zero at that time, compared to now), they did not focused on education of women, but showed what can be achieved by it. I would state, without any fear of being wrong, that despite all wrongs these two had, they showed that there are some things that should be on top of our list of priorities and that if we want to change something the best way is by the example. Gandhi and Indians wanted educated and emancipated women, yet good mothers and she showed that it can be achieved, even if you are involved in such men world as politics is. Thatcher wanted women involved in any sphere, but with clear division of public and private and she showed how it is done. Whether you love or loathe them, you have to admit one. They showed that clear determination and self confidence supported with little bit of education can bring you

whichever position or job you want. And that division on male and female spheres is there as long as we see it.

References
1. Somervil, Barbara A., Indira Gandhi: Political Leader in India, Compas Point Book, Mineapolis, USA 2007; 2. Gandhi, Indira What Educated Women Can Do?; http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/speeches/indira_gandhi_educated.h tml 3. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/script/wecry.html, retrieved on 05.06.2013 4. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-1107/india/28094179_1_indian-politics-indira-gandhi-biggest-democracies; retrieved on 09.06.2013 5. http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/book-reviews/margaret-thatcherirony-and-paradox-690985/; retrieved on 10.06.2013. 6. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/08/world/europe/margaret-thatcher-iconoutcast; retrieved on 10.06.2013. 7. http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/08/world/europe/margaret-thatcher-iconoutcast; retrieved on 08.06.2013 8. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/08/what-did-margaretthatcher-do-britain; retrieved on 06.06.2013. 9. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-1125/people/30440300_1_indira-gandhi-interview-power; retrieved on 09.06.2013. 10. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/people/margaret_thatcher; retrieved on 10.06.2013.

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