Table of Contents                                                                                                       v

Introduction                                                                                                                1

Statement of Problem                                                                                                 1

Statement of Purpose                                                                                                  4

Thesis                                                                                                                          4

Methodology                                                                                                              4

Aims and Objectives                                                                                                  5

Scope and Limitations                                                                                                            5

Source of Materials                                                                                                    5

References                                                                                                                  6

CHAPTER ONE:  AN ANALYSIS OF THE CONCENPT (FEMINISM)              7

1.1   Meaning and definitions of Feminism                                                          7

1.2   Schools of Thought On Feminism                                                                9

1.3   Is Feminism Necessary an Anti-Material?                                                    19

References                                                                                                                  22

CHAPTER TWO: PLATO’S APPROCH TO FEMINISM                                       23

2.1       Biography of Plato                                                                                          23

2.2       Plato’s view on Feminism                                                                              28

2.3       The Role of Women according to Plato’s Republic                                       30

References                                                                                                                  35

CHAPTER THREE: WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT                                          36

3.1 Women’s Liberation and Struggle                                                                       36

3.2 What is development?                                                                                          45

3.3 Family and Political Development. (The Role of Women)                                 47

References                                                                                                                  50

CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION                                           51

4.1 Summary                                                                                                              51

4.2 Conclusion and Recommendation                                                                       53

Bibliography                                                                                                               54

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          Feminism can be defined as the advocacy of women’s right on the ground of the equality of the sexes. Feminism is a range of movements and ideologies that share a common goal to define, establish, and achieve equal political and economic and cultural rights for women. The argument against feminism is solid, but we have to consider the possible futility of arguing against feminism not because it is not worthwhile fight and neither do we aim to be-little the daily and continuous hard work of brilliant activist and writers who act such a magnificent voice for men and women who suffer a magnificent and negativity of feminism in the society. Many Ancient thinkers have argued that women are different from men. They contend that this difference renders women not only incapable of civic virtue, but a threat to the well-ordered state. Women are seen as wild elements to be controlled, they also see women to be ruled over and not women ruling.  (Nussbaum 1995:6). St. Thomas Aquinas equally added that to give the first man to certain dignity consisting in this that as God is the principle of the whole universe, so the first man, in likeness to God, was the principle of the whole human race. Women purpose therefore is to help perpetuate a specie whose principle lies in man and her subjection to her husband’s leadership (Diana Coole 1993:46).

          Plato believed that the possession of virtue is a consequence of knowledge of the Good (Gould, p.125). In the Plato’s Republic, he makes the assumptions that different people have different natures and it is in every person’s best suits or interest to do what his or her nature best suits them to do. He also makes the point that certain attributes are irrelevant to the nature the person must follow. Plato speaking through Socrates, makes the analogy that if a man with a full head or hair is known to be a good cobbler, it does not necessarily follow that a bald man is not suited to the same profession. He also make the distinction between mind &body is irrelevant to the nature of a person to be proficient in a profession, and thus concludes that a woman could be a philosopher as well as a man. Indeed, if one were to accept the notion that Socrates proclaims that the soul exist after death and is used in creating new life one must accept the possibility of the soul of a philosopher entering the world as a female with the same nature and ability. By this, he does not preach equality, but the potential for equality.

          Women are seen especially in the areas of child-bearing as having more of a connection and dependence of a bodily nature. Men, in this method of thought would be seen as more connected to the soul and things of a spiritual nature. Plato embraced this idea as did many of his contemporaries. Plato went so far as to say that men and women have different types of souls and a female body may not necessarily contain a female soul. Reasons and statistics have highlighted the intuitional sexism of the disposable male as a weapon and sacrifice, domestic violence and family issues, which still persist in the society that allow feminist to short and scream at the broken issues of broken homes. The problems faced by those promoting a revolution against these, most times in the aspect of where men are not always pleased with the issues of feminism because of how they are threatened and what feminism says about them. Feminist most times, are not willing to address their issues in cases whereby the woman is at fault. Women also suffer various forms of injustice, humiliation and violence just because they are women and they are seen as being weak. Usually, the practices which permits these abused are seen as part of the customs and traditions of the people which women makes and are assumed to be beneficial to all. The vital contributions which women makes to the economics of all human societies are very often recognized unrewarded. For instance, women are not paid for their housework and family labor and their role in the informal economic sector are ignored.

          For feminist, to achieve these common goals and ideologies about man and woman having equal rights, women needs to be empowered, which involves dismantling of the cultural norms and traditional practices that women are not relevant in the society? Access to educational opportunities, skills acquisitions and positions of authority mostly in the political sector, persistence discrimination and violation against the rights of the girl child and above all equal opportunities are to be given among men and women.

 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

          The purpose of feminism is to give equal right to women as that of men. And going by Plato’s view which state that ‘he is not preaching equality, but the potential for equality’. That is, men and women are both relevant to the society.

 THESIS

          The thesis of this essay is to defend the fact that women are also important and relevant to the society and should therefore be liberated and allow to manifest their potentiality.

METHODOLOGY

          The method to be adopted is to be realistic and clear in order to find a satisfactory result and generate theories from an explicitly feminist stand point.

 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 

          The common aims include seeking and to do away with big in research making in order to achieve the potentiality for equality and to give and “appraisal on Plato’s view on feminism”.

 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS

          To achieve the fact that men and women are born equal and both have equal right as the fundamental human rights is concerned.

 SOURCE OF MATERIALS

          Materials will be searched for and made available from the University of Ibadan, university of Lagos, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Public Libraries and also from internet and journals.