Women's Equality In The French Revolution

For decade women have been discriminated by society, all around the world. In many countries women are still treated as the inferior sex. “daily life for women in the early 1800s in Europe(Britain), was that of many obligations and few choices. Some even compare the conditions of women in time as a form of slavery.” (Smith, Kelley. "

Major continuities and changes regarding various views of women in the years between 1450 and 1700 include both the continuation of disdain towards women and the emergence of the idea that women are equal to men. Women were often thought to be of less value than men, an idea that originated early in history and progressed throughout this time period. Some men and women began to speak out against inequality and, whether directly or indirectly, influenced new ideas causing others to believe in the power of women. Many views of women in the years between 1450 and 1700 continued to show the age old idea of women being seen as the inferior gender. James Sprenger and Henry Kramer wrote that women are more likely to be attacked by the devil because they are more naive than men (1).

During the French revolution women were committed to working towards a society in which all of mankind were equal and free. When Napoleon claimed power he instituted a list of laws which stripped many of the French women's rights. For example, women couldn't get a divorce from their husbands, they couldn't own property, and any money a woman earned would be considered her husband's. It undermined the ideals of the French revolution, and who knows what women might have accomplished in an equal society if their rights were

The inequity among the class structure that was implemented into the foundation of the ancient regime of France, is what prompted the severe formidable revolution in opposition to the government 's readiness to misemploy their sovereignty as well as their social position for the sole purpose of personal beneficial gain. The enlightenment was an intellectual movement emphasizing reasoning and understanding. It was a period of cognitive revolution, distinguished by extensive advances in science, philosophy, society and politics. These contemporary concepts heavily influenced philosophers such as John Locke, Voltaire, and Montesquieu, all masters of their craft. Although, the french revolution may have been influenced by the fundamentals of the

Following the American Revolution and the separation from Britain, the main group that seemed to “hold all the power” were men, mostly white, of property. Many other groups during this time did not hold the same amount of power as the men. Women, in particular, suffered in terms of rights during and after the American Revolution. Between how women were to be seen in the eye of the public and their place in politics, women had very little rights.

Women were considered inferior to men; they had to rights and most of all no voice. Typically, as the old saying goes ‘they were to be seen and not hear’. Revolutionary Mothers, by Carol Berkin tells of the general stereotypes of women in America, the roles in which they played during the America revolution, and lastly it tells the story of the women through their own words. Stereotypes of Women In chapter one, Berkin states “God had created her to be a helpmate to man….and formed her for this purpose…to be frugal, and obedient (2005, p.4)”.

In American civil war was triggered by many different reasons, but mainly because of the enslavement of African Americans. The northerners were anti-slavery, while the southerners were pro-slavery. It is known to be the deadliest war known, the war started in 1861 and ended in 1865, won by the North and president Lincoln abolished slavery after the war. The north outnumbered the south in many different ways; like men, guns, technology, and money. The ratio was about 4:1, but the south had one great advantage.

women's roles expanded extraordinarily amid the unrest. While men were away battling or running the nation, women were at home running and guarding the home. This can be found in the document A and G. Women had, for a period, the privilege to vote in New Jersey. The unrest additionally expanded the training of women and urged them to be more included out in the open life. Women were not allowed the privilege to vote until numerous years after the fact, yet that establishment began amid the American Revolution.

The collapse of France during World War II was as abrupt as it was unforeseen. A major work of art that reflected the provocative history of France during the German occupation and the lives of the captives was that of Irene Nemirovsky’s Suite Française, a book she wrote in 1941. The French women that were portrayed in the novel come from different backgrounds and played different roles. The roles that these women depicted in the book were roles that women in reality played; roles that they didn’t necessarily choose, but rather was forced upon them by the French society and the circumstances that the war has brought upon them. Irene Nemirovsky was born in Kiev in 1903 to a wealthy family, and like most prominent Russian-Jewish families, hers had made the transition to French life impeccably (Kaplan 4).

In my opinion the Revolution was not radical for women. Despite the fact that the men in the colonies were fighting for the rights of everyone is one of the hypocritical statements that could have been made. It is clear that the Men were not fighting for Women’s rights. Proclaiming that we are all equal under God while you still have people in bondage was insane by today’s standards. It was clear that the founders of this great nation would do anything to be free but they were not willing to set free the groups that they themselves have oppressed.

Following this trend, Joan Wallach Scott’s Only Paradoxes to Offer: French Feminists and the Rights of Man attempts to understand French feminism by reading for paradoxes within the actions and doctrines of prominent female activists of women’s rights like Olympe de Gouges in 1789, Jeanne Deroin in 1848, Hubertine Auclert during the Third Republic, and Madeline Pelletier in the 20th century. Scott argues that “feminist agency is paradoxical in its expression” and it is “an effect of ambiguities, inconsistencies, contradictions within particular epistemologies.” This paradox, she claims, is that women who argued for female inclusion in politics were forced to both deny and emphasize sexual difference; in order to justify women enjoying the

The French Revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799, was primarily a response to the poor leadership of King Louis XVI who had been ruling France at the time. A number of commoners took to the streets of Paris to protest against the monarchy after years of alienation and paying abundance of tax and fees. The bourgeoisie was also out of touch with the rigid social structure orchestrated by the regime as they were often excluded from law-making decisions and other political rights that were given exclusively to noblemen. Shortly after the monarchy had been abolished, the church became victimized at the hands of the revolutionaries who recognized the institution as a chunk of the Ancien Regime that needed to be destroyed. On that note, the French

If women continued to gain power and independence then the fabric of society would disintegrate and gender relations would be altered, which men did not want to happen. Americans had a choice of keeping the practices and ideals of the revolution concerning women or maintain the social

In her 1975 article, “Feminism in the French Revolution,” Jane Abray provides a dismissive view of women’s movements during the Revolution. In the article, Abray emphasizes the failures of revolutionary feminism. In her opinion, the most compelling reason for revolutionary feminism’s failure was that it was a minority interest that remained inaccessible to the majority of French women who accepted their inferior status to men. Abray suggests additional reasons for the movement’s “abject failure,” including its inability to garner support from the male leaders of the Revolution, the disreputable characters of the feminist leaders, the strategic errors made by the movement’s leaders, and a “spirit of the times” that emphasized the nuclear family

The French Revolution of 1789-1799 aimed to spread Liberty, Equality and Brotherhood through France and through Europe. It wished to create a French Republic and it ultimately resulted in the overthrow and executions of the King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. It failed, however, to secure voting rights for women. Despite this, participation of women in the Revolution was clear. However, the question remains - just how did women help the Revolution, and how important were their roles?