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the family； to careful； generous service in the world； we should find
labor freely given； with love and pride。
Abnormally； crushed under the burden of androcentric scorn and
prejudice； we have labor grudgingly produced under pressure of
necessity； labor of slaves under fear of the whip； or of wage…slaves；
one step higher； under fear of want。 Long ages wherein hunting and
fighting were the only manly occupations； have left their heavy impress。
The predacious instinct and the combative instinct weigh down and
disfigure our economic development。 What Veblen calls 〃the instinct of
workmanship〃 grows on； slowly and irresistably； but the malign features
of our industrial life are distinctively androcentric： the desire to
get； of the hunter； interfering with the desire to give； of the mother；
the desire to overcome an antagonistoriginally masculine； interfering
with the desire to serve and benefitoriginally feminine。
Let the reader keep in mind that as human beings； men are able to
over…live their masculine natures and do noble service to the world；
also that as human beings they are today far more highly developed than
women； and doing far more for the world。 The point here brought out is
that as males their unchecked supremacy has resulted in the abnormal
predominance of masculine impulses in our human processes； and that this
predominance has been largely injurious。
As it happens； the distinctly feminine or maternal impulses are far more
nearly in line with human progress than are those of the male； which
makes her exclusion from human functions the more mischievous。
Our current teachings in the infant science of Political Economy are
naively masculine。 They assume as unquestionable that 〃the economic
man〃 will never do anything unless he has to； will only do it to escape
pain or attain pleasure； and will； inevitably； take all he can get； and
do all he can to outwit； overcome； and if necessary destroy his
antagonist。
Always the antagonist； to the male mind an antagonist is essential to
progress； to all achievement。 He has planted that root…thought in all
the human world； from that old hideous idea of Satan； 〃The Adversary；〃
down to the competitor in business； or the boy at the head of the class；
to be superseded by another。
Therefore； even in science； 〃the struggle for existence〃 is the dominant
lawto the male mind； with the 〃survival of the fittest〃 and 〃the
elimination of the unfit。〃
Therefore in industry and economics we find always and everywhere the
antagonist； the necessity for somebody or something to be overcomeelse
why make an effort？ If you have not the incentive of reward； or the
incentive of combat； why work？ 〃Competition is the life of trade。〃
Thus the Economic Man。
But how about the Economic Woman？
To the androcentric mind she does not exist。 Women are females； and
that's all； their working abilities are limited to personal service。
That it would be possible to develop industry to far greater heights；
and to find in social economics a simple and beneficial process for the
promotion of human life and prosperity； under any other impulse than
these two； Desire and Combat； is hard indeed to recognizefor the 〃male
mind。〃
So absolutely interwoven are our existing concepts of maleness and
humanness； so sure are we that men are people and women only females；
that the claim of equal weight and dignity in human affairs of the
feminine instincts and methods is scouted as absurd。 We find existing
industry almost wholly in male hands； find it done as men do it； assume
that that is the way it must be done。
When women suggest that it could be done differently； their proposal is
waved asidethey are 〃only women〃their ideas are 〃womanish。〃
Agreed。 So are men 〃only men；〃 their ideas are 〃mannish〃； and of the
two the women are more vitally human than the men。
The female is the race…typethe man the variant。
The female； as a race…type； having the female processes besides； best
performs the race processes。 The male； however； has with great
difficulty developed them； always heavily handicapped by his maleness；
being in origin essentially a creature of sex； and so dominated almost
exclusively by sex impulses。
The human instinct of mutual service is checked by the masculine
instinct of combat； the human tendency to specialize in labor； to
rejoicingly pour force in lines of specialized expression； is checked by
the predacious instinct； which will exert itself for reward； and
disfigured by the masculine instinct of self…expression； which is an
entirely different thing from the great human outpouring of world force。
Great men； the world's teachers and leaders； are great in humanness；
mere maleness does not make for greatness unless it be in warfarea
disadvantageous glory！ Great women also must be great in humanness； but
their female instincts are not so subversive of human progress as are
the instincts of the male。 To be a teacher and leader； to love and
serve； to guard and guide and help； are well in line with motherhood。
〃Are they not also in line with fatherhood？〃 will be asked； and； 〃Are
not the father's paternal instincts masculine？〃
No； they are not； they differ in no way from the maternal； in so far as
they are beneficial。 Parental functions of the higher sort； of the
human sort； are identical。 The father can give his children many
advantages which the mother can not； but that is due to his superiority
as a human being。 He possesses far more knowledge and power in the
world； the human world； he himself is more developed in human powers and
processes； and is therefore able to do much for his children which the
mother can not； but this is in no way due to his masculinity。 It is in
this development of human powers in man； through fatherhood； that we may
read the explanation of our short period of androcentric culture。
So thorough and complete a reversal of previous relation； such
continuance of what appears in every way an unnatural position； must
have had some justification in racial advantages； or it could not have
endured。 This is its justification； the establishment of humanness in
the male； he being led into it； along natural lines； by the exercise of
previously existing desires。
In a male culture the attracting forces must inevitably have been； we
have seen； Desire and Combat。 These masculine forces； acting upon human
processes； while necessary to the uplifting of the man； have been
anything but uplifting to civilization。 A sex which thinks； feels and
acts in terms of combat is difficult to harmonize in the smooth bonds of
human relationship； that they have succeeded so well is a beautiful
testimony to the superior power of race tendency over sex tendency。
Uniting and organizing； crudely and temporarily； for the common hunt；
and then； with progressive elaboration； for the common fight； they are
now using the same tacticsand the same desires； unfortunatelyin
common work。
Union； organization； complex interservice； are the essential processes
of a growing society； in them； in the ever…increasing discharge of power
along widening lines of action； is the joy and health