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The Political Conditions for Free Agency. The Case of Mary Wollstonecraft

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Author

Editor

  • Quentin Skinner
  • Martin van Gelderen

Summary, in English

In this chapter it is argued that the feminist pioneer Mary Wollstonecraft regarded moral agency as an exercise of freedom; a person who is unfree cannot perform acts that are moral in the proper sense. There are three aspects to this deprivation: first, the psychological effects of oppression; second, processes of deliberation and reasons for action, and third, the moral character of an act, such that moral acts are characterized by being performed freely. This interpretation has radical implications for Wollstonecraft’s feminism since it means that women’s lack of freedom strips them of the capacity to be moral agents.

Publishing year

2013

Language

English

Pages

227-243

Publication/Series

Freedom and the Construction of Europe. Volume II Free Persons and Free States

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Topic

  • Philosophy, Ethics and Religion

Keywords

  • Wollstonecraft
  • politics
  • morality
  • freedom
  • independence
  • person
  • act
  • oppression
  • psychology
  • deliberation
  • reasons
  • agency

Status

Published

Project

  • Mary Wollstonecraft and Feminist Republicanism

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 978-1-107-03307-8