The subjugation of women by the capitalist system is a major obstacle to social revolution. The institutions (governmental, industrial, military etc.) of nearly every society are emphatically patriarchal and male-orientated. As Connolly put it “The worker is the slave of capitalist society, the female worker is the slave of that slave.” Mid-20th century Albania was no exception.

 

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The mainly rural society which emerged from the Second World War and a brutal Nazi occupation continued to be heavily influenced by Islamic customs and other such backward social constraints. Elements of the old pre-War feudal system also lingered on. However, this soon began to change under the Socialist Revolution which followed victory over the fascist invaders and was spearheaded by the Albanian Party of Labour (PPSH) and its former partisan leader Enver Hoxha.

Hoxha recognised the importance of achieving women’s liberation in the broader context of building a new Socialist society. He therefore began to introduce reforms with this aim in mind. A new healthcare system guaranteed adequate healthcare for all and, most importantly for women; reproductive rights. Civil partnerships between consenting adults became the only legal form of marriage with underage and forced arrangements being outlawed. Physical and sexual abuse against women was also considerably reduced with a judicial system that recognised the rights of female victims for the first time.

Illiteracy was also another major problem faced by Albanian women at the time (and the whole of Albanian society for that matter), with around 80% unable to read or write. Under Socialism and Hoxha’s leadership they had access to a free education system, something that was previously unavailable. By the early 1980s the level of illiteracy had been reduced to less than 30%. These significant improvements empowered women and enabled them to seek employment beyond the household or the family farm.

While Hoxha’s leadership had many shortcomings, there is still a lot we, as Marxist-Leninists, can learn from it. Albania during this period demonstrated the relatively huge advancements that can be made under Socialism. A backward, feudal, patriarchal, sexist and extremely superstitious society was transformed into a state that upheld the rights of men and women alike and offered them an equal opportunity to build a better future.