Anarcha-feminism

Anarcha-feminism is a strand of feminist analysis rooted in anarchist thought, which focuses its attention on power relations.

The most overt and explicitly articulated power relation is that of government, but other institutionalized and formal hierarchies (aristocracies, religion, management/capitalists) are also subject of significant anarchist critique. Class systems as a whole, whether based on race, gender, religion, or other features, are similarly critiqued as an instantiation of hierarchy, typically defined and enforced by government and law as well as by less formal social institutions. Institutionalized hierarchy, law, and the use of violence to maintain power are the key defining elements of anarchist analysis.

Anarcha-feminist analysis frequently focuses on the use of hierarchy outside the "public economic" sphere, including gender-based hierarchies within families, churches, and other informal economic sectors. Thus, anarcha-feminists (and more broadly anarchists who may also be classed as feminists, such as Emma Goldman, Voltairine De Cleyre, and the Mujeres Libres) attacked marriage and the traditional family, as well as maintained a strong anti-clericalism.

The uses of power and violence within the government and within patriarchal institutions are key analytic tools for anarcha-feminists.