March 5, 2026. Alex V, Sozialistische Alternative (ISA Germany)
Capitalism is a system maintained by state repression and violence, but it also relies on nationalism and patriarchal norms. Through media, education, political rhetoric, and cultural discourse, it normalizes the idea that working-class people have an interest in ‘defending one’s nation’. Patriarchal ideals like obedience, sacrifice, are imposed from above, but presented as shared values that protect society from external and internal enemies.
In the current era of inter-imperialist conflict and war, these ideas have become an increasingly important part of the toolkit of the world’s ruling classes, who seek to ensure that rising militarism is accepted or at least tolerated by the population. This means doubling down on all the reactionary ideological pillars of their system.
The culture war against women, queer people, and transgender people is not simply a distraction tactic. It plays a role for the state in securing both the labor force it needs for war and the ideological consent necessary for the development of a militarized society. Where the far right is already in power, traditional gender roles are reinforced through propaganda and state violence, such as when Trump equates being trans with “extremism” and declares all trans people enemies of the nation.
Domestic Violence and Femicides
Crises and militarization go hand in hand with rising domestic violence and femicide. This is a consequence of the imperialist necessity for patriarchal order, control, and domination.
In Germany, more than 126 women were killed by partners or ex-partners in 2024, and more than 180,000 cases of domestic violence against women and girls were reported in 2023 (according to the Federal Criminal Police Office). The actual numbers are probably much higher, as many women are unable to seek help or report incidents.
While billions of euros are being poured into the German military and arms companies such as Rheinmetall are posting record profits, women’s shelters remain underfunded, social housing construction is shrinking, and nursing staff, predominantly women, are working themselves to exhaustion.
The Berlin Initiative Against Violence Against Women (BIG e.V.) already has to turn away 400 people seeking protection every month—and this situation is set to worsen not only in Berlin, but throughout Germany. The state always finds money for the military, but not for social protection structures.
Political and media discourse increasingly glorifies militarization—the call for “national defense,” the idealization of soldiers, the praise of “discipline” and “sacrifice.” This ideology seeps into everyday life, reinforcing traditional gender roles. By normalizing military force and preparing for war, the state increases the risk of patriarchal violence in the home.
The growing presence of the far-right AfD and other reactionary forces reinforces this trend. They exploit the fear of social decline and demographic change as a weapon to propagate an ideology of the traditional family that reduces women to their roles as mothers and caregivers, while denouncing feminism as a threat to the nation. In this climate, a “heavy hand” against women is normalized.
In capitalist crisis mode, patriarchal violence becomes an ideological weapon. It reproduces the gendered division of labor and diverts fear and anger away from the ruling class and toward women, migrants, and queer people.
Global Militarization, Global Patriarchy
The last three years have seen record global spending on arms, as well as increasing authoritarianism and setbacks for the rights of women and queer people.
Nowhere has the link between war and patriarchal violence become clearer than in the last two years of genocide against the Palestinian people. In Gaza, women face catastrophic displacement and targeted violence, including sexual violence, while Israel continues its attacks despite the ceasefire. According to UN Women, over 70% of those displaced from Gaza are women and children, and maternal deaths have skyrocketed due to the collapse of medical infrastructure.
In Ukraine, reports from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) show a sharp increase in domestic violence since 2022. Returning soldiers struggling with trauma and mental health crises, curfews and air raid sirens trapping women in potentially violent households, and rising unemployment and economic insecurity are exacerbating patriarchal violence. Displaced women are exposed to further risks in overcrowded shelters with no privacy, while power outages and attacks on energy infrastructure make public spaces and transportation more dangerous.
The Russian and Chinese regimes actively promote “traditional family values” as part of their ideological arsenal and suppress feminist and LGBTQ+ movements as “Western degeneracy.”
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN reports document widespread sexualized violence. In Sudan, women are affected by mass abductions and sexual slavery, and in Afghanistan, the Taliban’s theocratic dictatorship violently excludes women from education, work, and public life.
The “Manosphere” and Soldierhood
The newest front for patriarchal violence is digital. On YouTube, TikTok, and X, the “manosphere”, a network of misogynistic influencers and right-wing extremists, spreads hateful ideology to millions of young men. Personalities such as Andrew Tate and Myron Gaines preach dominance, entitlement, and contempt for women—closely linked to the militaristic goals of the ruling class. Tech billionaires allow these misogynists to continue their activities.
Manosphere content reaches billions of views and serves as a recruitment portal for far-right movements. They combine misogyny with militarized nationalism and convey the message that “real men” control women and defend their nation with violence.
The manosphere is not just talk. It is a cultural arm of patriarchal capitalism. It profits from anger and frustration, sells toxic masculinity as identity, and legitimizes authoritarian politics. The result is a generation radicalized in terms of both gender-based violence and militarism—the “perfect” soldiers.
Socialist Feminists Against War
While the ruling class arms itself for war, we must respond with international class struggle.
The struggle against patriarchal violence is inseparable from the struggle against militarism. Both serve the same system built on exploitation, hierarchy, and fear. Socialist feminists demand an end to imperialism, authoritarianism, and economic oppression, while also fighting for women’s and LGBTQ+ liberation, workers’ rights, housing, and public services.
History shows what collective struggle can achieve: in the early years of the Russian Revolution after 1917, women won the right to vote, abortion rights, childcare, and equal pay. From Gaza to Berlin to Tehran and Kyiv, women are resisting militarism and patriarchal control. Socialist feminism means standing alongside all those who refuse to be cannon fodder or bear the burden of exploitation—fighting for a society based on collective ownership and democratic planning that ends both imperialist war and patriarchal violence. Only through the united struggle of the working class can we create the material and social foundations for a liberated world.
