Second Klan through the lens of gender - Essay Example

She brands them “petite Middle class” in the midst of wealthy recipients. Maclean’s work provides an understanding of both social and cultural issues, and a broad view of the persons behind the evolution of the Ku Klux Klan movement. The author argues that the economy had an impact in the collapse of the Klan in the mid 1920s (Jenkins 218). This argument contrasts that of several historians who indicated that the collapse of the Klan attributed to the moral plus financial abuses of Klan leaders.

Evidence of murder plus rape of Klan Members and leaders was an indication of the cause of the decline of the group. The author argues that the New Deal and its several programs attempt to lessen the diminutive bourgeoisies economic decline weakened the Klan and other groups. The argument does not regard the possibility of an economic fall in the period of depression. The post war era must not have an impact on the economic down fall of the Klan (Jenkins 219). Maclean’s argument on the significance of gendered analysis emanates from her observation of various changes in the roles of women plus men during the era of the Klan movement.

There were traditional roles laid by the Ku Klux Klan movement that the women were to follow. In the Ku Klux Klan, there existed rules that guided the clan, including the role that women and men had to play in the participation of clan activities. The Klan expected women to play a prime role of raising respectful white children with Christian faith and educating the children that the white race was greater than other races (Jenkins 220). However, several women defied the traditions by taking part in struggles for rights to participate in voting and inclusion, in the movement.

These gender role changes cause Maclean to declare gendered analysis of the movement a fundamental aspect for revealing various occurrences. Several women fought for their inclusion the affairs of the movement, and found necessary