For centuries before the early 1900's, there was a prominent male domination in the country of China. Women were deprived of all rights and were present mainly to serve men. Women served as slaves, concubines, and prostitutes. Marriages were arranged, sometimes preparing a female from infancy to serve her future husband. This can be seen most effectively by the practice of foot binding. Beginning around the eleventh century, foot binding became a tradition. When a girl became three or four years of age her mother would tightly wrap her daughter's feet in bandages with her toes tucked under the soles. On top of this excruciating pain, the bandages would be tightened each day. If a woman's feet weren't bound she was considered unsuitable for marriage. In fact, it was preferred that the foot be around 3 inches in length.
By law, women have equality in education, marriage, rights, and freedom. However, while there have been many improvements to women's roles in China, there are still some laws that have been ignored. The most insidious violation regards infanticide of female babies. Although killing a newborn child is illegal, killing the child before birth is promoted. Since 1997, hundreds of "mobile abortion clinics", complete with body clamps to hold down Women doing something "voluntarily", have been made to take abortion to the remote countryside.
From the cruelties of foot binding to state coerced family planning, women have been played as pawns of the male dominated state. The function of women's literacy and workforce equality has been to improve communist state. It is for the reader to decide if these dramatic changes are cause for the Chinese woman to hold her head with pride in what her nation has done for her status.