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Chapter 4
Witch-Hunting and the Fear of the Power of Women
From: Witches, Witch-Hunting, and Women
$1.10
The readings in Part One of this title explore the history of witch hunts and place them in the context of contemporary violence against women. This reading argues that witch hunting was partly the result of the breakdown of communal agrarian systems and the emergence of patriarchy-favouring systems of capital-accumulation. The author suggests that the idea of powerful women imposed on this system and resulted in the persecution of women who didn’t conform to the emerging capitalist social structure.
Contributors
Silvia Federici
Silvia Federici is a feminist activist and scholar whose writing and political activities have contributed enormously to the broad Autonomist tradition. Known for her intellectual generosity, sharp, nonconformist thought, and searing critiques of capitalist society, Federici’s work has inspired the generation of social activists associated with the rise of the alter-globalization movement.