Цивилизационное развитие России и «женский вопрос» (XV – начало XX века)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to present a general picture of how the idea of normative femininity was formed in the process of the historical development of Russian civiliza­tion from the 15th to the beginning of the 20th centuries. The empirical base of the analy­sis consists of research materials on social and gender history, ethnography, and social philosophy. The main role in the formation of gender norms was played by the Orthodox Church, the autocratic state, the class social structure, and the agrarian type of produc­tion. Thus, the establishment of monotheism in Russia contributed to the formation of a patriarchal social order, which is characterized by the primacy of men and the subor­dination of women. This, together with changes in socio-economic conditions, the forma­tion of privileged estates and the influence of the Tatar-Mongol yoke, led to the depriva­tion of women of the rights that they had in Ancient Russia. A few centuries later, the reforms of Peter I dealt a significant blow to the archaic traditions. His innovations marked the beginning of the formation of secular legislation in the field of marriage and family relations, which reduced the role of canon law, prohibited some particularly fanati­cal domestic norms against women, and limited the power of the husband in the family. Europeanization contributed to the secularization of the social consciousness of the upper strata of society and the introduction of Western norms of social and cultural life. Later, the modernization of Russia, the abolition of serfdom, the development of industry and the wider involvement of women in it required an increase in their level of education. Beginning in the middle of the XIX century discussions about women’s right to univer­sity and vocational education, and to the right to vote, contributed to the awakening of women’s social activism. The author analyzes the specifics of the three main directions in the discussion of the “women’s issue”. One of them – the so-called theology of sex -was in line with the Russian philosophical tradition. The other two approaches drew on the socialist and liberal ideas of Western thinkers. The author comes to the conclusion that, in general, the formation of the normative gender structure in Russia proceeded in the same way as it did in European civilization: from the initial rigid gender hierarchy to the gradual empowerment of women until women received voting rights in April 1917. The article shows that the development of Russian civilization in the gender aspect went from patriarchal traditions to the provision of greater rights and opportunities to women. These trends were continued in Soviet times. The article provides convincing material to refute the claims of Russian conservative ideologists about the inviolability of patriar­chal gender norms in Russia.