Books › Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism
Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism
256 pages
A witty, provocative exploration of how economic systems shape our most intimate lives, arguing that capitalism is the true barrier to women's liberation.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting down with a brilliantly sharp, deeply informed friend who is ready to dismantle the economic systems that dictate our daily lives. The pace is brisk and lively, carrying the punchy, irreverent energy of a viral essay while remaining grounded in serious ethnographic research. The mood is both intellectually stimulating and righteously energizing, inviting readers to look past personal failings and recognize the systemic exploitation inherent in unregulated capitalism. The prose is accessible and witty, tackling heavy subjects like the wage gap, workplace harassment, and the impossible burdens of motherhood with a provocative flair. It is a perfect read for those who want a historically rooted, fiercely feminist argument that reimagines how society could better support women's work, parenting, and intimacy.
- Mood
- energizing
- provocative
- righteous
- intellectually stimulating
- Tone
- witty
- irreverent
- informed
- lively
- argumentative
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the failures of unregulated capitalism · systemic exploitation of motherhood · reimagining women's rights · the intersection of economics and intimacy · historical lessons from state socialism
- The writing
- Lively, witty, and informed, blending academic ethnography with the punchy, accessible energy of a viral op-ed.
- The arc
- Moves from a provocative, irreverent critique of modern capitalist struggles to an informed, energizing call for adapting socialist ideas to improve women's lives.
- Who it's for
- Readers seeking a sharp, historically grounded, and irreverent feminist critique of how economic systems shape intimacy, motherhood, and work.
Content notes
- discussions of sexual harassment
- workplace discrimination
- systemic exploitation
About the book
In a witty, irreverent op-ed piece that went viral, Kristen Ghodsee argued that women had better sex under socialism. The response was tremendous -- clearly she articulated something many women had sensed for years: the problem is with capitalism, not with us. Ghodsee, an acclaimed ethnographer and professor of Russian and East European Studies, spent years researching what happened to women in countries that transitioned from state socialism to capitalism. She argues here that unregulated capitalism disproportionately harms women, and that we should learn from the past. By rejecting the bad and salvaging the good, we can adapt some socialist ideas to the 21st century and improve our lives. She tackles all aspects of a woman's life - work, parenting, sex and relationships, citizenship, and leadership. In a chapter called "Women: Like Men, But Cheaper," she talks about women in the workplace, discussing everything from the wage gap to harassment and discrimination. In "What To Expect When You're Expecting Exploitation," she addresses motherhood and how "having it all" is impossible under capitalism. Women are standing up for themselves like never before, from the increase in the number of women running for office to the women's march to the long-overdue public outcry against sexual harassment. Interest in socialism is also on the rise - whether it's the popularity of Bernie Sanders or the skyrocketing membership numbers of the Democratic Socialists of America. It's become increasingly clear to women that capitalism isn't working for us, and Ghodsee is the informed, lively guide who can show us the way forward.
Description from Open Library.
Books like Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism
See why they match
The Right to SexAmia SrinivasanA fiercely intelligent dismantling of modern sexual politics that asks uncomfortable questions about who we desire and why.
The Nordic theory of everythingAnu PartanenA comforting yet incisive exploration of how society can be structured to alleviate everyday anxieties and foster genuine independence.
Witches, Witch-Hunting, and WomenSilvia FedericiA sobering, fiercely analytical exploration of how capitalist expansion has historically and continually relied on the systemic persecution of women.
Down GirlKate ManneA razor-sharp philosophical autopsy of systemic misogyny that gives a name to the invisible forces policing women's lives.
Asking for itKate HardingA blunt, fiercely intelligent dissection of systemic misogyny that balances sobering research with a galvanizing call to action.
Hood FeminismMikki KendallA fierce, necessary dismantling of mainstream feminism that demands we look at survival, not just privilege.