Capitalism continues to systemically expand patriarchy while concealing gendered violence

By contrast, feminists exploring patriarchy give capitalism a historical dimension. Capitalism is a relative latecomer, they argue, only being introduced in the late eighteenth century, whereas patriarchy was not. On a theoretical level, the emergence of capitalism threatened patriarchal control. It destroyed many old institutions and created new ones, such as a "free" market in labor. Yet if capitalism eliminated differences of status among laborers, why did women remain in an inferior position in the "free" labor market? The feminist theorist Heidi Hartmann answers this question by developing the dual systems theory that is, men used capitalism's penchant for hierarchical organization and control to extend the traditional division of labor between the sexes. Capitalism and sexism operated hand in hand. Hartmann defines patriarchy as "a set of social relations, which has a material base and in which there are hierarchical relations, and solidarity among men that enable[s] them to dominate women. 27 Before capitalism, a patriarchal system existed where men controlled the labor of their wives and children. It was this system, she argues, that taught men "the techniques of hierarchical organization and control."28 Once industrialization occurred, these men refused to relinquish their control over the labor power of women. What did change was how patriarchy shaped the workplace. The direct personal system of control created by patriarchy was transformed into an indirect, impersonal system of control, mediated by society-wide institutions. Sexual stratification occurred alongside increasing productiveness and specialization in the work force.29 "Patriarchy, far from being vanquished by capitalism," Hartmann argues, "is still very virile.... »30 It helps direct and form and shape modern capitalism. At the same time, capitalism helps change traditional patriarchal institutions.