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The Cato Home Study Course, Vol. 8 Part 2: Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Woman

2,736 views · Published 27 June 2013 · 1:25:25 · Indexed 29 October 2026

Channel: Libertarianism.org · 2013 · News & Politics

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Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) is increasingly acknowledged as one of the most influential thinkers on women's rights and also as an incisive and observant writer on politics, education, and social issues. Although not consistently libertarian, she was consistently in favor of equal legal rights for men and women, and she operated within a generally classical liberal framework. The audiocassette presents an account of her life as a radical individualist writer as well as discussion of her arguments for equality before the law. In her writings she engaged some of the central issues in political philosophy, notably the debate over whether it was preferable to defend historically situated ("prescriptive") rights or universal ("abstract") rights. Burke had defended prescriptive rights but was highly critical of abstract statements of rights and therefore was wary about the application of rights theory to other candidates for rights (for example, women).

Among Wollstonecraft's more interesting observations is that the characters of subservient wives and of subservient soldiers are similar: both are taught to please and both live only to please. As belief in a "divine right of kings" perverts the character of kings, so, Wollstonecraft argued, belief in the "divine right of husbands" perverts the character of husbands.

The readings by Wollstonecraft and by the sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimké in this module focus on the relationship between rights and responsibilities. One cannot reasonably expect a person to act responsibly if one does not accord to that person both the right and the responsibility of self-governance.

This module treats the issues of equal rights, especially with reference to women and to the flourishing of individuality and pluralism in a free society. The grounding of the libertarian view in individual rights, rather than in collective claims, provides important insights into the contemporary debate on "multiculturalism."

Readings to Accompany The Audio

From The Libertarian Reader: Alexis de Tocqueville, "What Sort of Despotism Democratic Nations Have to Fear" (pp. 20-24); John Stuart Mill, "Objections to Government Interference" (pp. 25-27), "Of Individuality" (pp. 96-103); Mary Wollstonecraft, "The Subjugation of Women" (pp. 62-64); Angelina Grimké, "Rights and Responsibilities of Women" (pp. 92-93); Sarah Grimké, "Woman as a Moral Being" (pp. 94-95); Milton Friedman, "The Relation between Economic Freedom and Political Freedom" (pp. 292-302).

Some Problems to Ponder & Discuss 

• What is the relationship between responsibility for one's behavior and the right and freedom to direct that behavior?

• Do equal legal rights for men and women entail equality in all other respects? 

• If an act such as excessive alcohol drinking is harmful to the person who undertakes it, or to others in his or her life (such as a spouse or children), in what sense is the act "victimless"? 

• Is it contrary to individualist principles for some people (whether a majority or a minority) to criticize the behavior or choices of others, if they refrain from resorting to force or legal coercion?

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