I had a chance to read selected writings by Alexandra Kollontai. There were several insights and a new paradigm for me to comprehend. That also got me thinking about liberal views and feminist views on the matter (again, depending on which side you take), there’s a subtle, grey area of difference between the two
The existence of prostitution at that time had been viewed as not compatible with the Soviet workers’ republic. The main reason: it wasn’t considered part of contributing to the development and strengthening of basic class character: something like solidarity and togetherness, which had been one of the strongest moral compasses at the basis of communism.
Liberal views and feminist views taken (again, depending on which point of view you uphold) are mainly and strongly opposed, as they view prostitution as a form of violence against women. It’s also not liberating in such a way, since prostitution is not a conscious and calculated choice.
During that time, prostitution was predominantly inherited from bourgeois capitalism of the past. Some of the things I just learned: it existed because the majority of prostitution arose to preserve the rights of private property through lawful lines. It made me think that capitalism had a clear intention of spreading out its private property, rather than relying on the official institution of marriage (which unifies it into a single line)
Now, when I try to think deeper, the first lens I’d like to put on this matter: prostitution exists because of low wages and the socio-economic inequality experienced by women. Not to mention that, perhaps within official marriages, rather than men reciprocating labor, or treating their spouse on equal footing, men could instead ask for a favor to accommodate their sexual preferences, which, by all means, is a subtle and hidden transformation that causes prostitution to arise in the first place. Unless, of course, those sexual preferences are bound by mutual consent.