One of Olympe de Gouge’s philosophies that she is best known for is the equal rights of women and the abolition of slavery. Using her feminist ideals to advocate for women’s rights during Revolutionary France De Gouges focused much of her writings around everyday women. Along with believing that women were equal counterparts to males she also was an abolitionist pushing for her radical beliefs during a time in which it was frowned upon. This can be best shown During the time she called on the National assembly to include female citizens in the rights of citizens (specifically tailored to men) she made her argument by stating that the purpose of any political association is to protect the inalienable rights of both woman and man and therefore must carry out their duty extending that protection to both females and males. This is exclusively referenced in The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Female Citizen, a response to the declaration of the Rights of the Man asking for protection of life, liberty, and property. De Gouges also thought that women had the right to publicly appoint the father of their child and the right for those children to be given property. She backed up her ideals by explaining how women were by nature more essential than the government was making them out to be, emphasizing their ability to bear children and the balance between motherhood and social workings women went through. This thought process became a major theme in many of De Gouge’s writings. Because of womans’ inalienable rights, De Gouges also believed that women should have the right to hold positions of high power, reflecting on every woman’s capabilities which were the same as men in those positions. While De Gouge’s beliefs were deemed as radical she also made sure to hold women accountable when defending her beliefs that both men and women were created equal stating that women should also be held accountable for crimes committed and must follow the law. While De Gouges also calls for those who deny equal rights to reflect on what is truly just if humans continue to get oppressed based on gender.
Other writings such as The Ghost of Public Opinion reflect on what De Gouges stood for in her fight for equality in the face of the French Revolution. She states in her own words “… be found my hatred of tyranny, my love of equality, of charity, my useful plans for institutions, my respect for propriety, for the law, the example of good Philosophy, ultimately a love of all the virtues that befit a great people”. She consistently addressed letters to King Louis XVI in hopes to incite a change for common folk who were struggling economically. For De Gouges the best political structure was one in which people of any descent or gender could have equal opportunities and rights including her advocacy against the slave trade occurring at the time. Writing such as Reflections On Negroes reflects on how the natural world had nothing to do with black people’s suffering, arguing that instead, the “powerful” interest of whites was what caused such atrocities. At the time this perspective was very radical especially since the natural world was often linked to those who were enslaved claiming they were cursed by heaven as De Gouges addresses, however, as we can see through her writing she pinpointed the exact cause not to be theological or human nature but rather human greed bought on by oppressors. She makes it a point to condemn tyranny, patriarchal, and racist acts making it clear that no one in power that is just required slaves for the act of enslaving someone correlates with Europeans’ bloodthirst for unnecessary riches. She argued that the enslaving of black people was truly against what is preached and natural in the world because uprisings and war would happen as a result and asks her white counterparts to instead ponder on the injustices done to those who are enslaved.
De Gouges often focuses on France and how to help her motherland during a time of turmoil. As mentioned previously she continued to write to King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and speak directly to the public (eventually leading to her downfall). Many times throughout her text she reminisces on gender, allowing some ambiguity in her writing such as in The Call of the Wise One, by a Woman in which she calls on men in power to put an end to the actions that could lead to the downfall of France and instead show their union to the public to help those who are impatient and in need. She then goes on to talk about the author (herself) in masculine pronouns while arguing about how women are not allowed in the General Estate even though they are still impacted by what is happening during the crisis. This message relates back to De Gouge’s idea of justice, one in which women amongst the minorities should be able to partake in political and economic situations to truly be equal to men.
Overall Olympe De Gouges fought for her moral ground in that women are created equal and no one should be enslaved. Fighting against a hierarchy created to oppress many during the time, she discussed her role as a woman in society having to bear children and raise others while simultaneously doing work, which made women equal counterparts to men. Because Inalienable rights expanded to women as well she argued they deserved to be included in political matters and commercial goods. Her reasoning behind her argument was the fact that naturally women had more responsibilities and mentally more prepared to deal with political concerns. She spoke out for enslaved peoples by calling out flaws within the theological theory that those enslaved were simply inept to be in the real world because of a theological curse. Instead pointing out the fact that it was the Europeans’ greed that sought destruction within communities of colored people and it was not just a “nature” situation. Explaining how slavery would just lead to more uprisings and danger to France. Olympe stood for her homeland to the very end in a very stern matter unwilling to back down in the face of fear.
Glossary
Crisis Stage: The climax of the French revolution where many groups such as the radicals and moderates clashed.
Estates General: Represented French estates and was made up of the clergy known as the first estate, nobility known as the second Estate, and the commoners or the third estate.
National Assembly: 1789. It was a revolutionary assembly formed by the representatives of the Third Estate of the Estates-General.They represented almost all of the French population.
Natural rights: Rights that cannot be restricted and inalienable.
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introduction
biography
philosophical explanation
comparison with Jean Jacques Rousseau
closing argument
bibliography