Published: The Communist, ed. by Louis Fraina, 1919;
Source: Gramsci's L'Ordine Nuove;
Transcribed: for marxists.org in August, 2002.
AT the first Congress or the Third International the position of men and women was debated, and the conclusion given here was arrived at:-
The International Communist Congress recognises that the solution of all the problems which have been presented, the final victory of the world proletariat, and the complete abolition of the capitalist society, can only be attained by the close collaboration of all workers in the fight--men and women. The enormous increase of female labor in all economic fields is an accomplished fact, and not less than half the total wealth of the world is produced by women. On the other hand, there can be no doubt of the important part which awaits working women in the creation of the new communist social order, especially during the transition period, even in the strictly economic field, for what concerns the reform of family customs, the realisation of the reform of family customs, and all the problems that relate to it, the development of their working ability, and formation into citizens of the Soviet Republic, which must be inspired by sentiments of solidarity. All this imposes on those parties which adhere to the Third International the necessity of considering a problem of the utmost importance: the concentration of all their strength and energy to draw the working women into the Party, the employment of all means to educate the workers in a spirit corresponding with the new social order, and with the new Communist ethics which they, must introduce in their social and family life.
The dictatorship of the proletariat can only grow strong and triumph by means of the energy and active co-operation of working women.
-- L'Ordine Nuove.