Political Theory
(2020) p.182-188- Abstract
- Is there a political theory in Mary Wollstonecraft’s writings? The question is relevant since Wollstonecraft’s main preoccupation was moral rather than political: the duty of every thinking person to strive to make themselves as good as they can be. This is a complex duty, involving independent thought, acting on principles of reason, and making oneself useful to others. The challenge involved in this endeavor is a recurrent theme in most of what she wrote. The idiosyncrasies of Wollstonecraft’s political theory are partially a reaction to republican principles but from within republican commitments. I analyse some of the features that make her republicanism distinctive: the moral ends of government, her suspicion of the republican trope... (More)
- Is there a political theory in Mary Wollstonecraft’s writings? The question is relevant since Wollstonecraft’s main preoccupation was moral rather than political: the duty of every thinking person to strive to make themselves as good as they can be. This is a complex duty, involving independent thought, acting on principles of reason, and making oneself useful to others. The challenge involved in this endeavor is a recurrent theme in most of what she wrote. The idiosyncrasies of Wollstonecraft’s political theory are partially a reaction to republican principles but from within republican commitments. I analyse some of the features that make her republicanism distinctive: the moral ends of government, her suspicion of the republican trope of “the people”, and her conflicted views on revolution. I conclude with her critique of hierarchies of privilege and wealth. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/5ce36902-ba3e-4673-849b-f57f9325f718
- author
- Halldenius, Lena LU
- organization
- alternative title
- Mary Wollstonecrafts politiska teori
- publishing date
- 2020-01
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Mary Wollstonecraft, political theory, political freedom, feminism, republicanism
- host publication
- Mary Wollstonecraft in Context
- editor
- Johnson, Nancy E. and Keen, Paul
- pages
- 182 - 188
- publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- ISBN
- 9781108416993
- 9781108261067
- DOI
- 10.1017/9781108261067.021
- project
- Mary Wollstonecraft and Feminist Republicanism
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 5ce36902-ba3e-4673-849b-f57f9325f718
- date added to LUP
- 2018-01-29 11:49:06
- date last changed
- 2020-02-06 13:53:20
@inbook{5ce36902-ba3e-4673-849b-f57f9325f718,
abstract = {{Is there a political theory in Mary Wollstonecraft’s writings? The question is relevant since Wollstonecraft’s main preoccupation was moral rather than political: the duty of every thinking person to strive to make themselves as good as they can be. This is a complex duty, involving independent thought, acting on principles of reason, and making oneself useful to others. The challenge involved in this endeavor is a recurrent theme in most of what she wrote. The idiosyncrasies of Wollstonecraft’s political theory are partially a reaction to republican principles but from within republican commitments. I analyse some of the features that make her republicanism distinctive: the moral ends of government, her suspicion of the republican trope of “the people”, and her conflicted views on revolution. I conclude with her critique of hierarchies of privilege and wealth.}},
author = {{Halldenius, Lena}},
booktitle = {{Mary Wollstonecraft in Context}},
editor = {{Johnson, Nancy E. and Keen, Paul}},
isbn = {{9781108416993}},
keywords = {{Mary Wollstonecraft; political theory; political freedom; feminism; republicanism}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{182--188}},
publisher = {{Cambridge University Press}},
title = {{Political Theory}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/9781108261067.021}},
doi = {{10.1017/9781108261067.021}},
year = {{2020}},
}