Impacts of Capitalism, Globalisation and Patriarchy on Women Workers in Industrial Production. Comparative Analysis: Belgium, Nepal, Bangladesh.

There is a discernible shift in the global political landscape. For the first time since the advent of capitalism, a non-Western country, China, is surpassing the Atlantic imperialist forces in terms of economic influence. India is also experiencing a significant economic growth. Several other Asian countries are aspiring to attain this new economic position, including Bangladesh. In October 2023, this country, renowned globally for its textile factories, witnessed a historic strike by workers in the same industry, which accounts for 80% of the country's exports. The workers, 65% of whom were women, supported by the unions, demanded a substantial increase in the minimum wage.

In this evolving context, this paper presents a feminist and critical analysis of the impact of capitalism, globalisation and patriarchy on women workers in the industrial production sector.

The study is based on empirical data gathered in three research fields (Belgium, Nepal and Bangladesh) using an inductive method. In total, this research is based on the testimonies of 31 female workers, several hours of observation and numerous interviews with experts on the subject. The analysis of this empirical data is supported by a review of the multidisciplinary scientific literature on the subject.

This study demonstrates that the impact of capitalism, globalisation and patriarchy on women industrial workers in Belgium, Nepal and Bangladesh is multifaceted and interrelated. The study was based on the Marxist premise that there is no distinction between free domestic work and paid work, which are two sides of the same coin. This premise was used to examine the difficulties experienced by women workers in combining their private and professional lives. Additionally, the consequences of imperialism and workers' resistance to it were considered.