Living Economics, Vandana Shiva

The market economy has certainly taken its rightful throne as most important economy of the time. As Vandana Shiva explains in Living Economics, our society consists of three economies: market, nature, and sustenance. Initially life was cultivated only through nature and subsistence economies. Shiva explains that these economies are places of exchange, knowledge, and culture and when they are replaced by the market economy, emphases shifts to capital and faceless corporations are in control.

In light of upcoming Mother's Day, let's take a look at how this shift has effected motherhood in our society. Shiva as well as Bennholdt-Thomsen and Mies agree that neoliberalism has led to the housewifeization of woman's labor. What was once considered a feat of labor and an integral component to society, now the accepted view is that women have children out of love, they stay home and raise them out of love, and they provide food and a home out of love. This way of thinking contributes to putting subsistent and nature's economy on the back burner of life.

Nowadays any person is expected to join the market economy, take their place in society and find a well-paying job. There is no esteem attached to the work of a stay-at-home mom. Housewifeization developing alongside women fighting for equality in the workplace places women in the challenging position of navigating motherhood and careers. There is no longer value in raising children, rather a women must become a lawyer, a CEO, or a doctor AND a mother.

Shiva urges that a balance must be found within these three economies and I would have to agree. Especially in the case of women who are navigating their place in the world. Nature's economy needs respect and sustenance economy needs protection or else the market economy will continue to quell the two and we will be left rebuilding the world.

Here are two posts from BuzzFeed that 1) are funny, and 2) help illustrate how much our moms matter.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/maytag/reasons-why-moms-are-our-unsung-heroes
http://www.buzzfeed.com/adamdavis/moms-are-geniuses