The Man‐Made World
When the northern tribes‐men overwhelmed the Roman culture they
paralysed progress for a thousand years or so; set back the clock by that much. So long as all Europe was at war, so long the arts and sciences sat still, or struggled in hid corners to keep their light alive.
When warfare itself ceases, the physical, social and psychic results do not cease. Our whole culture is still hag‐ridden by military ideals.
Peace congresses have begun to meet, peace societies write and talk, but the monuments to soldiers and sailors (naval sailors of course), still go up, and the tin soldier remains a popular toy. We do not see boxes of tin carpenters by any chance; tin farmers, weavers, shoemakers; we do not write our “boys books” about the real benefactors and servers of society; the adventurer and destroyer remains the idol of an Androcentric Culture.
In politics the military ideal, the military processes, are so predominant as to almost monopolise “that part of ethics.” The science of government, the plain wholesome business of managing a
community for its own good; doing its work, advancing its
prosperity, improving its morals—this is frankly understood and accepted as A Fight from start to finish. Marshall your forces and try to get in, this is the political campaign. When you are in, fight to stay in, and to keep the other fellow out. Fight for your own hand, like an animal; fight for your master like any hired bravo; fight always for some desired “victory”—and “to the victors belong the spoils.”
This is not by any means the true nature of politics. It is not even a fair picture of politics to‐day; in which man, the human being, is doing noble work for humanity; but it is the effect of man, the male, on politics.
Life, to the “male mind” (we have heard enough of the “female mind” to use the analogue!) is a fight, and his ancient military institutions and processes keep up the delusion.
As a matter of fact life is growth. Growth comes naturally, by multiplication of cells, and requires three factors to promote it; nourishment, use, rest. Combat is a minor incident of life; belonging to low levels, and not of a developing influence socially.
The science of politics, in a civilized community, should have by this time a fine accumulation of simplified knowledge for diffusion in 94
The Man‐Made World
public schools; a store of practical experience in how to promote social advancement most rapidly, a progressive economy and ease of
administration, a simplicity in theory and visible benefit in practice, such as should make every child an eager and serviceable citizen.
What do we find, here in America, in the field of “politics?”
We find first a party system which is the technical arrangement to carry on a fight. It is perfectly conceivable that a flourishing democratic government be carried on without any parties at all; public functionaries being elected on their merits, and each proposed measure judged on its merits; though this sounds impossible to the
androcentric mind.
“There has never been a democracy without factions and parties!” is protested.
There has never been a democracy, so far—only an androcracy.
A group composed of males alone, naturally divides, opposes, fights; even a male church, under the most rigid rule, has its secret undercurrents of antagonism.
“It is the human heart!” is again protested. No, not essentially the human heart, but the male heart. This is so well recognized by men
in general, that, to their minds, in this mingled field of politics and warfare, women have no place.
In “civilized warfare” they are, it is true, allowed to trail along and practice their feminine function of nursing; but this is no part of war proper, it is rather the beginning of the end of war. Some time it will strike our “funny spot,” these strenuous efforts to hurt and destroy, and these accompanying efforts to heal and save.
But in our politics there is not even provision for a nursing corps; women are absolutely excluded.
“They cannot play the game!” cries the practical politician. There is loud talk of the defilement, the “dirty pool” and its resultant darkening of fair reputations, the total unfitness of lovely woman to take part in “the rough and tumble of politics.”