Olympe Gouges and the Declaration

Why did Gouges feel the need to create a new declaration which included the rights of women?

Marie Gouze (1748-93) or also known as Olympe de Gouges, was a butcher’s daughter and she was self-educated. She wrote many pamphlets, including The Declaration of the Rights of Woman, and addressed other issues during the French Revolution. Based on The Declaration of the Rights of Woman, Gouges believed that women naturally deserved same basic rights as men and granting women these rights would prevent France from falling into corruption caused by women.

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Introduction

At the time of the French Revolution, women had far less rights than men did, especially in the public sphere. In the constitution of 1971, only men who were 25 years and older and who possessed measurable wealth were active citizens (Scott, pg 5). Even though not all men were granted the rights of active citizens, no women were granted these rights at all. They had little power in their hands when it came to the revolution. "Pierre-Gaspard Chaumette, a radical hebertist... rejected an appeal from support from female petitioners protesting the Convention's decree..., 'Since when is it decent to see women abandoning the pious care of their households, the cribs of their children, to come to public places...'" (Scott, pg. 3). Like many French people during that time, Chaumette believed that a woman abandoned her responsibilities once she decided to leave her house. Women should not be granted rights as active citizens because they would be irresponsible mothers and wives in return.

Although a declaration of rights was made when the constitution was made in 1791, it only mentioned how men were born equal and women were not mentioned. Women were expected to take care of the basic needs of their houses and not to interfere with politics. They were to remain calm and lady-like, even as revolutionary women. Gouges thought it was necessary to write a declaration for women because women also deserved to be able to exercise their rights as it was natural and universal, and that restricting them only would bring result in more crimes. Women had the ability to fight for and protect their family just like men did. Fig. 1 showed how a woman amazed the intruders by bravely defending her children by holding guns in her hands. Just like how Gouges wanted to show how capable women were, this image also showed how this mother could protect her children without the help of a man.

The Declaration of the Rights of Woman

In The Declaration of the Rights of Man, there was no mention of women, especially when declaring the equal rights and freedom of men who were born. Gouges thought freedom and equality was a natural and universal rights for everyone, thus she decided to write a declaration to include everyone. She created the pamphlet of the declaration for women to remind everyone what were the rights and responsibilities of women were as people of France. In the declaration, she added woman to articles from the original declaration that only mention man. Gouges felt like the government was neglecting women and demanded that women were treated as more than objects. Just as men had inviolable and sacred rights, women also had those rights naturally. It was something that should not be taken away because women were also rightful owners of these rights. "Woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights..." (Article 1). All these rights include, rights to property, equal responsibilities to paying taxes, rights to opinions and be active citizens, hence having political and public powers. Women also should not receive special treatments. When they are guilty, they should be charged according to law (Article 8 and 9). She did not ask for special treatments toward women and demanded equal rights and responsibilities all around.

Gouges recognized and admitted that there were natural differences between men and women because of their genders. Because of this, she also recognized how women used their sex to cause harm as they were left with no other choices if they want to hold more power. "...the exclusion of women from politics had led to corruption...when seduction displaced reason and crime prevailed over virtue...would disappear in the future, when women were granted political rights, equal access to property, and public employment" (Scott, pg. 12). She believed that by taking rights away from these women, they would use seduction as a source to gain power and bring harm to France. "Women had done more harm than good...What force had taken from them, ruse returned to them..." (Gouges' postscript). A woman with beauty would lure men to fulfill her desires and demands. If women were given the same power as men, they would not have to use tricks to get around. By restricting woman's freedom, she was left with little to no chance but to cause corruption to take place thus leaving France to become a nation of injustice and crimes.

Fig. 1. J. Frederic Cazenave (designer) and Jean Thouvenin (engraver), An Example of Heroic Courage, (1793-1994). Held by Bibliotheque Nationale de France in Paris.

Conclusion

Although women did not have equal rights as men during the French Revolution, Gouges believed that women deserved the same rights as men. She believed that women are as capable as men when it comes to protecting their families and the nation. As citizens of France, everyone should be granted their political rights and be active citizens. Without these rights, there were no truths, freedom and justice.

Work Cited

Thouvenin, Jean (engraver) and J. Frederic Cazenave (designer). An Example of Heroic Courage. 1793-1794. Stipple engraving and color wash, 30 x 40.2 cm. Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Paris. From: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Exploring the French Revolution, https://revolution.chnm.org/items/show/76.

"Olympe de Gouges, The Declaration of the Rights of Woman (September 1971)." Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Exploring the French Revolution, Accessed May 4 2020, https://revolution.chnm.org/items/show/557.

Scott, Joan Wallach. "French Feminists and the Rights of 'Man': Olympe De Gouges's Declarations."History Workshop, no. 28 (1989): 1-21. www.jstor.org/stable/4288921.