The Role Of Women In 20th Century Europe History Essay

Women are an essential component of life; they are the one who develops, grow and built a person from a child to a man and they are the one responsible for maintaining a house, state and business as well. A woman is considered as a blessing by God because they assist people in different forms, sometimes mother, sometimes wife, daughter, sister, friend, and niece and so on.

Despite being a wonderful creation of God, they were treated in an unfair manner since many years; speaking in terms of twentieth century or much before that then women were considered as a show piece or something which have no rights, they were always treated in an unfair manner and were degraded in front of men (LStoff, 2008).

Women of past were patient, sincere, loyal to an extreme extent, diligent, hardworking and brave. Earlier women of Europe as well as of other parts of the world were not allowed to work like men, they had to get married at teenage, they were not allowed to build up career and have to spend their entire life serving husband, in laws and children (Radek, 2006). They were not allowed to vote, women rights of independency and autonomy were finished; only they were responsible for population growth or fertility.

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The importance of women in Europe was realized in twentieth century at the time of World War I and II because women had assisted a lot at that very moment. They worked along with men; they stood beside men or from shoulder to shoulder in every critical situation and proved that they can work like them. Many women in Europe went to work in factories to support the war effort and to provide much-needed labor (Cooperation, 2000). Due to the extent or severity of wars, several women lost their lives and several wounded. They worked as an army, as a doctor, as a nurse; it is reported that Aristocratic Nurses and the Austro-Hungarian POW Relief treated wounded armies with loyalty and dignity but in return they were not given a positive response (Radek, 2006).

Before war each and every women were supposed to get married but the balance of gender that is men and women got shattered after the war because thousands of men lost their lives, now women had to do something for their survival so after several movements’ government proposed equal right opportunities. In such a way women enter their steps in business world (Lewis, 2012).

At that time women had no idea because they were not highly educated so they start from the low level jobs and within a short span of time they raise their levels. Over the century, upper class women hosted salons, and though they were not encouraged or motivated to converse or debate, but they participated in the imperative responsibility of inviting the intellectuals or philosophers of the time, cultivating social connections between them, and guiding discussions if they appeared to not be going in the direction intended (Tudor, 2000).

Besides women of upper class, women of middle and lower class participated by exercising political power during the Revolution, organizing and participating in bread strikes, storming the palace and arresting the royal families of that times, and forming high-ranking opinionated organizations.

The gender based race is going on since centuries, women considers themselves as superior, whereas men consider themselves as dominant, both are the creation of God and both should respect each other and should give equal rights to each other.

List of Sources:

LStoff. (2008). Review: Gender and War in 20th-Century Eastern Europe. Retrieved from http://russian-front.com/2008/02/18/review-gender-and-war-in-20th-century-eastern-europe/

The source contributed about the impartiality and gender biasness present in twentieth century and before that. Women were not even given their basic rights; they were treated in an unfair or ruthless manner as servants, slaves or as prostitutes. They were forced or coerced to serve men and his children; besides this they were bound within the houses.

Kimberly M. Radek. (2006). Women in the Twentieth Century and Beyond. Retrieved from http://www2.ivcc.edu/gen2002/twentieth_century.htm

This link has presented several generous and brave women who worked and assisted men in the time of crises whether it’s financial crises, economic or social crises. Speaking in terms of war then they were responsible for medication, eatables and to provide army with comfort. They were always ready to stand neck to neck with them and to hold gun at any time.

Council for Cultural Co-operation. (2000). the History of Women in Europe in the 20th Century. Retrieved from http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/historyteaching/Source/Projects/DocumentsTwentyCentury/WomenSeminarReport_en.pdf

This refers to twentieth century and the vast changes in the views, ideology and perspective of people about women. Actually twentieth century is considered as start of women in business world so this century is responsible for change in many aspects that is change in ideas, change in technology, advancement and change of life standards.

World History. (2009). Women in the 20th Century — A Short Overview. Retrieved from http://www.google.com.pk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=Discuss+the+role+of+women+in+20th+century+Europe&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&ved=0CFQQFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mspugh.net%2FWOMEN20THCENTURY.ppt&ei=Q96vUOiTDPHJ0AW-74D4CQ&usg=AFQjCNFqQ_PUlafYc0wkh6DTwf4gejtl2w

This source emphasized that during war, many women in Europe went to work in factories to support the war effort and to provide much-needed labor. In European colonies men were drafted into the European armies leaving women to fill the economic and social roles that men had prior to the war and after the war, western countries had not granted women suffrage.

Ruth Tudor. (2000). TEACHING 20TH CENTURY WOMEN’S HISTORY: A CLASSROOM APPROACH. Retrieved from http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/historyteaching/Source/Projects/DocumentsTwentyCentury/Women_en.pdf

Tudor has defined women of twentieth century in different phases. He has emphasized her efforts as a wife, sister, mother and so on. He further added that women were previously not considered as an independent body, men had ruled all over her. He is in strong favor to give women the right to vote.

Tudor explained several challenges faced by women and the outcomes of their struggled efforts.

Jone Johnson Lewis. (2012). Germany – Status of Women. Retrieved from http://womenshistory.about.com/library/ency/blwh_germany_women.htm

In Germany, women had its place with children, house and church but after World War II, women gained their reputation through their efforts and due to the cooperation of leader Hitler who supported each and every women of Germany and guided them to stand on their own foot.