The United Nations declared March 8 as International Women’s Day because, on this day in 1917, women played a major role in the Russian Revolution, which led to the abdication of the Tsar and the establishment of a provisional government that granted women the right to vote.
Rosa Luxemburg, a Marxist activist and politician, wrote an article titled “Women's Suffrage and Class Struggle” in 1912. In her piece, she quoted the French philosopher Charles Fourier, who stated, “In any society, the degree of female emancipation is the natural measure of the general emancipation.” This article discusses the rights of proletarian women to vote. The capitalists of the time opposed granting women this right, fearing that it would ignite further social change. However, the unionization of proletarian women turned them into a formidable force. These women were economically independent, and according to the norms of pre-1848 absolutism, they were deemed mature enough to exercise political rights.
A very interesting point raised by Rosa Luxemburg in her article concerns the participation of bourgeois women in politics and the possibility that capitalists might have conceded to their demands for voting rights. She uses the term “parasite” to describe bourgeois women, referring to them as “parasites of the parasites” because they are “nothing but co-consumers of the surplus value their men extract from the proletariat.” She asserts that granting direct suffrage to women would further the overall struggle for the liberation of the proletariat.
In the present context, this article remains highly relevant. While virtually every country now extends direct suffrage to women, the critical question remains: have these rights translated into substantial influence over societal and environmental changes? In India, women were granted the right to vote alongside men in 1947. However, their representation in Parliament has been dismally low. Although the 33% reservation bill has been passed, it comes with several conditions that undermine the effective participation of women in the political process. Moreover, systemic issues such as socio-cultural barriers, entrenched patriarchal norms, and unequal access to political resources have further limited their influence.
Recent data from governmental and academic sources indicate that the underrepresentation of women in key decision-making roles is not merely a statistical anomaly but a reflection of deep-rooted structural challenges. For instance, despite constituting nearly half of the electorate, women in India continue to be marginalized in legislative bodies, which affects the prioritization of policies on economic reform, social justice, and environmental sustainability. Research published by institutions such as the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) and reports available on the official websites of the Election Commission of India provide evidence that only a fraction of parliamentary seats are occupied by women, despite the introduction of affirmative measures.
In addition, entrenched political practices and cultural stereotypes often relegate women’s issues to a secondary status. This underscores the urgent need for a more robust framework that not only legislates for greater female participation but also ensures that women have the requisite support and resources to influence policy effectively. In the Indian context, targeted policy interventions, capacity-building programs, and stricter enforcement of reservation policies are essential to dismantle these barriers. Only by addressing these structural impediments can India hope to unlock the full potential of its female electorate and foster a more inclusive, equitable political landscape. Such a transformation is critical not only for the progress of women but also for the overall development and democratization of the society.
