The Paradox of Change: American Women in the 20th Century

by William Henry Chafe

When William Chafe's "The American Woman" was published in 1972, it was hailed as a breakthrough in the study of women in this century. But much has happened in the last two decades - both in terms of scholarship, and in the lives of American women. With "The Paradox of Change," Chafe builds on his classic work, taking full account of the events and scholarship of the last fifteen years, as he extends his analysis into the 1990s with the rise of feminism and the New Right. Chafe conveys all the subtleties of women's paradoxical position in the United States today, showing how women have gradually entered more fully into economic and political life, but without attaining complete social equality or economic justice. As in "The American Woman," Chafe once again examines "woman's place" throughout the 20th century, but now with a more nuanced and inclusive approach. There are insightful portraits of the continuities of women's political activism from the Progressive era through the New Deal; of the contradictory gains and losses of the World War II years; and of the various kinds of feminism that emerged out of the tumult of the 1960s. Not least, there are narratives of all the significant struggles in which women have engaged during these last ninety years - for child care, for abortion rights, and for a chance to have both a family and a career.

Genres: History

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

William Chafe is an American historian, and currently the Alice Mary Baldwin Professor of History at Duke University.

Reviews

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fairly die-hard feminist, I am ashamed that I did not read this book before the age of 26. Published in the year of my birth, this wealth of information was available to me for my entire life, and I did not know of its existence until recently.

William Henry Chafe does an excellent job of outlining not only the problems experienced by white, middle-class women but also poor women and women of color, beginning before the passage of the 19th amendment and concluding with the third-wave feminism of the 1980s and 1990s.

Sometimes, the anecdotes, quotes and statistics presented in this work made my heart ache. Sometimes it felt like I was seeing the truth, crystallized in all its ugly glory, before me for the first time. It's a truth I've always known, growing up female, but seeing the struggle articulated so clearly both saddens and invigorates me simultaneously. Throughout history, women of all colors and classes have exhibited extraordinary strength, courage, dignity and grace in the face of unbearable sexism, prejudice and ignorance. Women have stepped up to lead movements, to demand equal treatment, and at times, to call for even basic levels of civility in political discourse. Reading this book made me proud to be a woman. I wish it were mandated reading for everyone.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

A historian's analysis of the progress and status of American women during the 20th century.

Beginning with the suffrage movement, Chafe evaluates how the campaign began, its organization and methods, and success. Chafe does not shy away from pointing out the movement's shortcomings in race and class relations; yet reminds readers that the leaders of the campaign aligned themselves with the only political example they had to follow. Thus, in following the white-male dominated political structure of the country, suffragist leaders, regrettably, did not align their efforts or goals with minority races or inferior classes.

With the vote gained in 1920, Chafe moves on to examine how women exercised their new right.

After examining women's gains in industry, the economy, and society as a whole Chafe concludes that women have made significant strides during the 20th century yet much ground remains to be covered.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Older and still useful discussion of women in the 20th century U.S. Chafe uses the idea of how each change brought a new paradox to the lives of women. Limited in focus as it is not as pluralistic as more contemporary studies.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I wish it went up to the present, this is one of the best and most concise overviews of 20th century women's history that I've read yet. Highly recommended.