The book "Caliban and the Witch" by Silvia Federici is a radical historical analysis that explores the relationship between capitalism, colonization, and the witch hunts that took place in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Federici argues that these seemingly separate events were actually interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Federici begins by examining the transition from feudalism to capitalism and the role that women played in this process. Drawing on Marxist theory, she argues that the rise of capitalism was accompanied by the enclosure of common lands, which displaced peasants and forced them to become wage laborers. Women, in particular, bore the brunt of this transition, as they were often the ones responsible for managing the household and providing care work. Federici contends that the witch hunts were a direct response to the resistance of women to their increasing exploitation under capitalism.
The Past as Prologue: Caliban & the Witch – a Review
First published in 2004, Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici is a work well worth revisiting in 2020.
The call to ‘stay at home’ during the pandemic has raised vital questions about care, work, the home and capitalism. The fact that more work has been piled into the home, and that this has been disproportionately shouldered by women, has shone a spotlight on pre-existing inequalities.
Social reproduction theory, which explains how the replenishment of labour each day is essential to capitalism, helps us tie together these issues. Moreover, it is timely to revisit the question of witch-hunts, a phenomenon which has historically (and to a lesser extent, in modern times) cost the lives of many innocent women.
In Caliban and the Witch, Federici moves from the peasant revolts of the late Medieval period to the witch-hunts and the rise of mechanical philosophy to develop the historical groundings of social reproduction theory. Federici’s method is centred on embodiment, as she attempts to locate the source of women’s oppression under capitalism in the body and reproductive servitude.
It seems, at times, in attempting to develop Marxist ideas of reproduction and gender through the lens of the body, Federici becomes tunnel-visioned, failing to appreciate women as workers in the traditional sense. She has since refined some of these arguments in the subsequent work, Witches, Witch-Hunting, and Women (2018), which provides a more specific analysis of the witch-hunts. Nevertheless, Federici’s historical and gendered approach to social reproduction theory is a great introduction for anyone interested in developing their understanding of the theory or appraising the Medieval period through a Marxist lens.
Federici contends that the witch hunts were a direct response to the resistance of women to their increasing exploitation under capitalism. According to Federici, the witch hunts served multiple purposes for the ruling elite. First, they were a means of disciplining and controlling women, who were seen as a threat to the social order.
Peasants, Revolts, Enclosure
Federici’s analysis of the peasant revolts of the 1200s and 1300s, as well as her development of the process of enclosure, are particularly compelling.
Federici understands serfdom as a unique form of class relation, as serfs had direct access to the means of production. This did not make them more ‘free’ than the average worker today, though it did give them direct access to land, the tenure of which could be passed down through generations. Indeed, as women also tended the land, Federici contends that they were less dependant on spouses for survival.
Not all serfs were equal, and some underwent a process of proletarianisation in this time–in particular, serfs with no land who moved from place to place, selling their labour. The standing of the serfs, combined with the demographic crisis in the wake of the Black Death (1346-1353), created immense social upheaval.
Federici vividly captures the revolutionary power of the peasant revolts, and their potential, in a way no other author has managed. In her writing, we get a sense of the real desire for the upturning of the established order, and all the complexity such a goal brings. Wages for work, which were established to quell such revolutionary demands, were essential in the development of capitalism.
However, the enclosure of land which accompanied them also played a decisive, yet underappreciated, role. Federici strongly develops how the project of enclosure was a project of rationalisation towards accumulation. Here we see how land transitioned into a vehicle for greater profit–why should common pastures and woodlands, fallow fields, meadows, and marshes be left to idle when sheep could be introduced for the burgeoning wool market?
Surely, the former serfs could be given a wage to process fleece, though Federici goes on to examine how these roles were phased out by greater mechanisation. Thus, the myth of the ‘tragedy of the commons’ (if there is some land that is owned in common by everyone, then the ‘natural’ self-interest of everyone means that this land will be over-exploited and become worthless to everyone) was born.
By associating women with witchcraft and deviant behavior, the patriarchal hierarchies of the time were reinforced. Second, the witch hunts helped to enforce the new gender and sexual norms that were emerging under capitalism. Women who did not conform to these norms were often accused of witchcraft and subjected to torture and execution. Federici also examines the economic motivations behind the witch hunts. She argues that the witch hunts were a form of primitive accumulation, whereby the ruling class seized and appropriated the wealth of marginalized groups, including women, by accusing them of witchcraft. This process not only enriched the ruling elite, but also helped to consolidate their power by dividing and weakening the peasantry. Overall, "Caliban and the Witch" provides a thought-provoking analysis of the historical origins of capitalism and the role that women played in this process. By connecting the witch hunts to the rise of capitalism, Federici highlights the ways in which gender and class intersect and shape our understanding of history. The book challenges traditional narratives of progress and offers a feminist perspective on the origins of capitalism..
Reviews for "The Witch as a Symbol of Resistance in "Caliban and the Witch"
1. John - 2/5 - I found "Caliban and the Witch" to be overly dense and difficult to follow. The author's writing style was convoluted and filled with unnecessary jargon, which made it a chore to read. Additionally, the book seemed to have a strong bias towards a particular ideological viewpoint, which made it difficult to trust the information presented. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 1/5 - "Caliban and the Witch" was nothing but a tedious and tiresome read. The author seemed more interested in pushing their own agenda and ideology rather than providing a balanced analysis of the topic. The book was filled with repetitive arguments and lacked a clear structure, making it a struggle to find any coherent message. I would not recommend wasting your time with this book unless you are already deeply invested in the subject matter.
3. James - 2/5 - As much as I wanted to enjoy "Caliban and the Witch", I found it to be a confusing and disjointed narrative. The author jumps between different historical periods and theoretical concepts without proper transitions or explanations, leaving the reader feeling lost and frustrated. Additionally, the book seemed to rely heavily on speculation and conjecture rather than solid evidence, which diminished its credibility. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of clarity and coherence in this book.