It is about culture(Anthropology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

It is about culture(Anthropology) - Essay Example The end of First World War did not get any relief to the peasants. First the Socialists took over, and then the Fascists took over from the socialists. But it seemed that the condition of the peasants remained the same. They were first oppressed by the landlords, then by the Socialists, then by the Fascists and the Landlords. The food was always in short supply, meat was a rarity. Ironically during times of war the peasants in the villages fared a lot better than those living in the cities, as they could live of the wild. And many people in the cities use to go to the rural area to get some food of there. The Barter system was also very prevalent. People worked for food and traded various items to sustain themselves. The degradation of Women is also covered very thoroughly in this chapter. They were encouraged not to work. They were also not encouraged to educate themselves. They were generally encouraged to stay at home. The Fascists further painted women who did not marry or bear c hildren or selfish or unattractive. While Women were expected to be virgin till marriage, men were expected to show of their virility before that. This created a situation where prostitution thrived. This had a psychological impact on women in Italy long after the war was over. There is a brief coverage of the family structure as well. While the male was the titular head of the household, his wife generally ran the family. Sharing of food with less fortunate neighbors even though the quantity was low was common. The fascists and the socialists are also given their due coverage and it is not a flattering picture. While the socialist’s looted shops and farms, apparently to redistribute the wealth, but in reality it was to benefit a few. While the fascists did not make an attempt to cover up their intentions and joined hands with landlords and other wealthy people to wreak havoc on the peasants.