shorting cultures introductory preparation …

Many women in these countries are active in their societies and have high college enrollment rates.

Look at the United States, it spends billions of dollars on its schools, but when compared to other industrial countries, its students perform poorly in math and science.

By the way, some of the political and military actions of the United States and its allies today, are as damaging as colonialism.

we didn’t discuss about accepting people with hijab or not! this discussion is far from what you wrote.

maximizing the talents and productivity of 100% of society

It’s very good one!

I wonder how many women in Iran and Saudi Arabia could have been great engineers, chemists, administrators?

I can’t recall of many of them. I am sure there are more Iranian successful females outside of Iran than inside Iran and we know that’s just all about cultural freedom.

If I’m right, though, then the repression of women is NOT due to economic factors but comes entirely from the religion and the culture.

That’s right.

In that case, being a little more progressive socially would cause a huge increase in resources. If total equality could be achieved today then the labor force would increase almost instantly.

it’s very good conclusion.

the number of doctors, architects, etc. would also jump as more and more women entered the high level professions.

I don’t think so it’s about numbers! I think it’s all about upbringing in a free society or closed Islamic society! Because even now, females can apply for almost any course but the environment they get educated in, is much more important than how many get educated.

A free woman can contribute much more to society than one who’s kept in a cage

Thanks Grumpy, I really enjoyed your conclusion.

So women not having equal rights in Muslim countries is not the reason they are not as economically developed as Western countries.

Ah! Well, that’s certainly true, or at least it’s not the main reason. I believe that NOT utilizing the talents of the female population does slow a society’s development in every area, though.

You know, when Finnpundit wrote, “Women’s non-participation in the economy and production of social needs is another reason for backwardness” I have to admit that I didn’t think twice about it. He’s right (in my opinion) about, “…maximizing the talents and productivity of 100% of society…” I wonder how many women in Iran and Saudi Arabia could have been great engineers, chemists, administrators?

I think you’re right about the social advance of equality coming only after a certain stage of economic development. In that case there’s something of a vicious circle going on: the lack of economic development slows down social advancement, even though that advancement would speed up economic development.

The question is, has Iran achieved sufficient economic development to allow the social advance of gender equality? I would say yes, despite the country’s problems with inflation and unemployment, but I could be wrong. If I’m right, though, then the repression of women is NOT due to economic factors but comes entirely from the religion and the culture.

In that case, being a little more progressive socially would cause a huge increase in resources. If total equality could be achieved today then the labor force would increase almost instantly. Starting in eight years or so the number of doctors, architects, etc. would also jump as more and more women entered the high level professions.

A free woman can contribute much more to society than one who’s kept in a cage…

I am addressing your cause in following.

There was accumulation of wealth from colonolialism and exploitation of labor.

Sure, there was but right now Muslim countries (at least Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and somehow Iran) are wealthiest than the time that the US accumulated wealth from colonialism and exploitation of labor. I relativley pressed my opinion.

What do you mean by “first-wave feminism started during the nineteenth century and early twentieth century?” WHat did femininsm accomplish during that time?

You mention the 19th amendement; most Muslim countries allow women to vote.

As I addressed in my past post, the Industrial Revolution era was a major shift of technological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions.

What did they accomplish was not just about getting right to vote! Right to vote was constitutional and legal side of it; on the other side they actually challenged gender oppression within their own culture and society whereas in some Islamic countries although women can vote, they are still under Islamic rules and traditions of stratification of power along lines of gender.

Muslim women are still oppressed by their own Islamic culture, traditions and laws. Just awareness can make a shift in the society.

I am saying that the United States and other Western countries managed to develop economically before women got equal rights. So women not having equal rights in Muslim countries is not the reason they are not as economically developed as Western countries. Also there are many non-Muslim countries that are “backward.”

While Western countries preach equal rights and education for women in developing countries, they exploit children and women labor in these countries.

How does this:

Industrialization and economic development came before women got their equal rights.

apply to this:

Women’s non-participation in the economy and production of social needs is another reason for backwardness.

The only way your post makes sense is if you’re saying that gender inequality in Islamic nations is the result of their lack of economic and industrial development, and accumulation of wealth.