Women and EconomicsStartling in its observations and radical in its conclusions, this classic of women's rights literature, this work-by pioneering American feminist CHARLOTTE PERKINS GILMAN (1860-1935)-was a phenomenon when it was first published in 1898, and was eventually translated into in seven languages and reprinted around the world. From her characterization of women as virtual economic, social, and sexual slaves, dependent on men for everything from food to friendship to protection, to her call for women to free themselves from these shackles, Women and Economics electrified Victorian readers. It remains a foundational work of feminist theory, essential reading for anyone wishing to understand women's struggle for full and self-determined personhood. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
action activities animal baby become better carnivora chattel slavery child cial civilization common consciousness cooking degree desire distinction ditions dividual duty economic dependence economic relation economic status effect energy environment ergy evil evitable excessive sex-distinction family relation father feel feminine force freedom functions girl growing heredity higher human creature human female human race husband increasing individual industry injury instinct interest labor live maintained male marriage married masculine maternal maternal instinct method moral morbid motherhood natural natural selection necessity nomic organic over-sexed pain polygamy primitive processes produce profes progress qualities race-preservation racial reproduction Salic law savage sense servant sex-attraction sex-functions sex-relation sex-union sexual sexual selection sexuo-economic relation social evolution social relation society sonal soul species things tion to-day true vidual virtues wife woman women wrong young
Popular passages
Page 10 - Driven off these alleged grounds of women's economic independence; shown that women, as a class, neither produce nor distribute wealth; that women, as individuals, labor mainly as house servants, are not paid as such, and would not be satisfied with such an economic status if they were so paid; that wives are not business partners or co-producers of wealth with their husbands, unless they actually practise the same profession; that they are not salaried as mothers, and that it would be unspeakably...
Page 8 - The labor of women in the house, certainly, enables men to produce more wealth than they otherwise could; and in this way women are economic factors in society. But so are horses.
Page 1 - To show how some of the worst evils under which we suffer, evils long supposed to be inherent and ineradicable in our natures, are but the result of certain arbitrary conditions of our own adoption, and how, by removing those conditions, we may remove the...
Page 6 - From the day laborer to the millionnaire, the wife's worn dress or flashing jewels, her low roof or her lordly one, her weary feet or her rich equipage — these speak of the economic ability of the husband. The comfort, the luxury, the necessities of life itself, which the woman receives, are obtained by the husband, and given her by him. And, when the woman, left alone with no man to "support...
Page 1 - ... resultant — To point out how far we have already gone in the path of improvement. and how irresistibly the social forces of to,day are compelling us further. even without our knowledge and against our violent opposition. — an advance which may be greatly quickened by our recognition and assistance — To reach in especial the thinking women of to,day. and urge upon them a new sense. not only of their social responsibility as individuals. but of their measureless racial importance as makers...