Introduction
The fundamental difference between the demands of women at Seneca Falls in 1848 with the demands of women in the 1960s and early 1970s is the difference between stepping stones. While the convention of Seneca Falls in 1848 was the first stepping stone of woman’s liberation movement, the demands of women in the 1960s and early 1970s was at its zenith which juxtaposed with Civil Rights Movements and was a part of the movement along with several other demands but on a greater scale.
Demands of women at Seneca Falls in 1848
The demands of women at Seneca Falls in 1848 issued The Declaration of Sentiments or the Seneca Falls Declaration, 1848, where the main demand was voting rights for women. Other major demands included woman’s right to inheritance. The declaration demanded that the “first right of a citizen, the elective franchise” (Stanton, Anthony, and Gage, 70) should be given to women where they would be able to acquire “representation in the halls of legislation”. Along with “inalienable right to the elective franchise” (Stanton, Anthony, and Gage, 70) the demands included right in the property as the men of the era “He has taken from her all right in property, even to the wages she earns” (Stanton, Anthony, and Gage, 70) and the right to education as the man has “denied her the facilities for obtaining a thorough education, all colleges being closed against her” (Stanton, Anthony, and Gage, 70) among others.
The demand for women in the 1960s and early 1970s
The role of women in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and early 1970s was exemplary and it was the influence of the Civil Rights Movement of later decades along with the women of color in the Women’s Movement. The demands included the aspects of human rights and rights of equality. In this context, the idea of social justice became very relevant as it was because of the probable meanings it has for various contingents of the Civil Rights Movement. The similar important aspect is the threefold arguments that dealt with tactics employed by various factions of the Civil Rights Movement along with several other activities like the Women’s Movement, sexual orientation related movements like the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender (GLBT) Movement, and last of all the Green peace movement and the Animal Rights Movement formed a single force of unrest during the era of the 1960s and everything was directed towards the ideology of anti-establishment psyche with a complete focus on the woman’s demand of equality. Women can claim a variety of reasons for seeking separation from their spouses. Such reasons include physical, emotional, or mental abuse, heavy substance abuse, infidelity, sexual problems, or lack of support. The demands included justice against all these aspects. The term Justice signifies a sense of integrity, honesty, fair dealing, evenhandedness, righteousness, impartiality, and fairness. This term is predominantly used for the legal perception of the cause that flows from the activities of the administrative level. (Adler, 2-4)
Conclusion
However, no matter the amount of difference between the demands of women at Seneca Falls in 1848 with the demands of women in the 1960s and early 1970s, at the fundamental demand they were the same. And the common point was justice. Justice can be social, economic or political, and even cultural at the same time. Justice as a whole is the evaluation of good over evil. On the other hand, Equality is a term that signifies the essence of sameness, parity, fairness, equal opportunity, impartiality, and egalitarianism. It asks for a homogenous judicial and social system under with the activities of common life can excel and develop on a larger scale. By the term Liberty we understand a political and social system that is predominantly speaking and exercising the practice of authorization, right, liberation, emancipation, autonomy, independence, and complete freedom within the perspective of the society as well as within the political peripheral manifestation of the system.
Works Cited
Adler, Richard. Real and Apparent Goods. Wellington; RobertGoodPub, 2008.
Stanton, Elle., Anthony, Eric., and Gage, Meg. History of Woman Suffrage. Auckland: BTL, 1985.