Gender, Class, and Freedom in Modern Political Theory

In Gender, Class, and Freedom in Modern Political Theory , Nancy Hirschmann demonstrates not merely that modern theories of freedom are susceptible to gender and class analysis but that they must be analyzed in terms of gender and class in order to be understood at all. Through rigorous close readings of major and minor works of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, and Mill, Hirschmann establishes and examines the gender and class foundations of the modern understanding of freedom. Building on a social constructivist model of freedom that she developed in her award-winning book The Subject of Liberty: Toward a Feminist Theory of Freedom , she makes in her new book another original and important contribution to political and feminist theory. Despite the prominence of "state of nature" ideas in modern political theory, Hirschmann argues, theories of freedom actually advance a social constructivist understanding of humanity. By rereading "human nature" in light of this insight, Hirschmann uncovers theories of freedom that are both more historically accurate and more relevant to contemporary politics. Pigeonholing canonical theorists as proponents of either "positive" or "negative" liberty is historically inaccurate, she demonstrates, because theorists deploy both conceptions of freedom simultaneously throughout their work. Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 INTRODUCTION Gender, Class, and Freedom in Modern Political Theory......Page 12 Negative and Positive Liberty in the Western Canon......Page 13 The Social Construction of Freedom......Page 24 The Gender Politics of Freedom......Page 32 CHAPTER ONE Thomas Hobbes: Desire and Rationality......Page 40 The Will to Freedom......Page 41 Freedom and Obligation: From Choice to Contract......Page 46 Warrior Women, Invisible Wives......Page 55 Natural Freedom, Civil Contract......Page 60 The Social Construction of Freedom......Page 74 The Containment of Difference......Page 81 Conclusion......Page 88 CHAPTER TWO John Locke: Freedom, Reason, and the Education of Citizen-Subjects......Page 90 The Role of Reason......Page 91 Nature versus Nurture: The Role of Education......Page 98 The Gendered Property of Freedom......Page 102 Consent, Choice, and a Two-Tiered Conception of Freedom......Page 110 The Construction of Individuality, the Discipline of Freedom......Page 117 Conclusion......Page 126 CHAPTER THREE Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Force, Freedom, and Family......Page 129 Rousseau’s Three Kinds of Freedom......Page 130 Politics and the Will......Page 136 Education, Will, and the Social Construction of Citizens......Page 144 Gender, Education, and Virtue......Page 149 Julie, or The Woman as Model Citizen......Page 163 Gender, Passion, and Politics......Page 172 Conclusion......Page 177 CHAPTER FOUR Immanuel Kant: The Inner World of Freedom......Page 179 Transcendence and Phenomena......Page 180 Ethics and Politics......Page 189 Class, Education, and Social Construction......Page 199 Sexual Constructions......Page 206 Conclusion......Page 218 CHAPTER FIVE John Stuart Mill: Utility, Democracy, Equality......Page 224 The “Two Mills”......Page 227 Internal and External Realms......Page 234 The Will to Utility......Page 240 Democracy, Class, and Gender......Page 249 The Class of Education......Page 260 Politics, Participation, and Power......Page 271 Conclusion......Page 277 Freedom in Its Two Forms......Page 285 Gender, Class, and Berlin’s Typology......Page 292 The Social Construction of Freedom......Page 298 Notes......Page 302 References......Page 328 C......Page 342 E......Page 343 G......Page 344 I......Page 345 L......Page 346 M......Page 347 P......Page 348 R......Page 349 S......Page 350 T......Page 351 W......Page 352 Z......Page 353 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 INTRODUCTION Gender, Class, and Freedom in Modern Political Theory 12 Negative and Positive Liberty in the Western Canon 13 The Social Construction of Freedom 24 The Gender Politics of Freedom 32 CHAPTER ONE Thomas Hobbes: Desire and Rationality 40 The Will to Freedom 41 Freedom and Obligation: From Choice to Contract 46 Warrior Women, Invisible Wives 55 Natural Freedom, Civil Contract 60 The Social Construction of Freedom 74 The Containment of Difference 81 Conclusion 88 CHAPTER TWO John Locke: Freedom, Reason, and the Education of Citizen-Subjects 90 The Role of Reason 91 Nature versus Nurture: The Role of Education 98 The Gendered Property of Freedom 102 Consent, Choice, and a Two-Tiered Conception of Freedom 110 The Construction of Individuality, the Discipline of Freedom 117 Conclusion 126 CHAPTER THREE Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Force, Freedom, and Family 129 Rousseau’s Three Kinds of Freedom 130 Politics and the Will 136 Education, Will, and the Social Construction of Citizens 144 Gender, Education, and Virtue 149 Julie, or The Woman as Model Citizen 163 Gender, Passion, and Politics 172 Conclusion 177 CHAPTER FOUR Immanuel Kant: The Inner World of Freedom 179 Transcendence and Phenomena 180 Ethics and Politics 189 Class, Education, and Social Construction 199 Sexual Constructions 206 Conclusion 218 CHAPTER FIVE John Stuart Mill: Utility, Democracy, Equality 224 The “Two Mills” 227 Internal and External Realms 234 The Will to Utility 240 Democracy, Class, and Gender 249 The Class of Education 260 Politics, Participation, and Power 271 Conclusion 277 CONCLUSION Rethinking Freedom in the Canon 285 Freedom in Its Two Forms 285 Gender, Class, and Berlin’s Typology 292 The Social Construction of Freedom 298 Notes 302 References 328 Index 342 A 342 B 342 C 342 D 343 E 343 F 344 G 344 H 345 I 345 J 346 K 346 L 346 M 347 N 348 O 348 P 348 R 349 S 350 T 351 U 352 V 352 W 352 Z 353

this Book Is Bound To Have A Wide Audience Among Both Political Theorists And Feminists. One Of Its Strengths Is Its Analysis Of The Way In Which The Theories Of Freedom Of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, And Mill Are Gendered. Hirschmann Argues Pointedly With Other Feminist Interpretations Of These Theories And She Provides An Unusually Sophisticated Feminist Analysis Of The Canon.--marion Smiley, Brandeis University

this Is A Great Book. Hirschmann's Thorough Discussion Of Freedom--though Based On A Close Reading Of Only Five Theorists--will, In My Opinion, Change How We Think About Freedom. Hirschmann Also Demonstrates Why All Good Political Theory Needs To Be Feminist--not Ideologically, But Methodologically Feminist. Historians Of Political Thought And Theorists Of Freedom And Feminism Will Find Much To Challenge And Provoke Their Thinking.--brooke Ackerly, Vanderbilt University

choice

hirschmann Argues Persuasively Concerning The Need For Another Discussion Of The 'greats' Of Modern European Political Thought. She Rereads Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, And Mill And Argues That Rather Than Embracing Positive Or Negative Liberty, They Use Both Simultaneously. She Further Argues That Discussions Of 'human Nature' And The 'state Of Nature' In Each Are Already Rife With Social Constructivism. . . . Hirschmann Profitably Combines Traditional Interests . . . With Newer Scholarly Interpretive Methods And Interests. Her Discussion Of Locke On Positive Liberty Is A Particularly Valuable Contribution. Clarity, Readability, And Helpful References To The Secondary Literature Make This A Useful Volume For Students Grappling With These Texts For The First Time.

Demonstrates that modern theories of freedom are susceptible to gender and class analysis and they must be analyzed in terms of gender and class in order to be understood. Through readings of major and minor works of Hobbes, Locke, Kant, and Mill, this book examines the gender and class foundations of the modern understanding of freedom.