Your Politics Guide

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) was a pioneering advocate for women's rights and equality. Her work laid the foundations for liberal feminism and challenged the exclusion of women from society.

Equality: Wollstonecraft argued that women are rational beings that must be entitled to the same rights and opportunities as men.
Education: She believed education was essential for women to achieve independence in order to participate in society.
Opposition to Patriarchy: Wollstonecraft criticised social and political systems that kept women subordinate to men (patriarchy).
Social Contract: She extended the social contract to include women as equal citizens.
Virtue and Reason: Emphasised the importance of reason, virtue, and moral development for all, regardless of gender.

Wollstonecraft is regarded as one of the founders of liberal feminism.
Her ideas influenced feminist movements, including the campaign for women's suffrage.
She helped expand liberal principles of rights to include women, challenging the male dominated social contract of the time.

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) - Her most famous work, in this book she argues for women's equality and emancipation The process of being freed from restrictions; gaining equal rights. .
A Vindication of the Rights of Men (1790) - Critique of aristocracy and advocation of republicanism.

Mary Wollstonecraft

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Key Works