French Socialism and Sexual Difference: Women and the New Society, 1803-44 PDF
Preview French Socialism and Sexual Difference: Women and the New Society, 1803-44
French Socialism and Sexual Difference Women and the New Society, 1803–44 Susan K. Grogan FRENCH SOCIALISM AND SEXUAL DIFFERENCE This page intentionally left blank French Socialism and Sexual Difference Women and the New Society, 1803-44 Susan K. Grogan Lecturer, Department ofHistory, Victoria University ofWellington New Zealand M MACMILLAN © SusanK. Grogan1992 All rights reserved. Noreproduction, copyortransmission ofthispublicationmaybe madewithoutwrittenpermission. No paragraphofthispublicationmaybe reproduced, copiedor transmitted save withwrittenpermissionorinaccordancewith the provisionsoftheCopyright, Designsand PatentsAct1988, orunderthe termsofanylicence permittinglimitedcopying issuedbythe CopyrightLicensingAgency, 90TottenhamCourtRoad, LondonWIP9HE. Anyperson who doesanyunauthorisedactinrelationto thispublicationmaybeliable tocriminal prosecutionand civilclaimsfordamages. Firstpublished 1992 Publishedby MACMILLANACADEMICANDPROFESSIONALLID Houndmills, Basingstoke, HampshireRG21 2XS and London Companiesand representatives throughouttheworld ISBN0-333-52530-2 BritishLibraryCataloguingin PublicationData Grogan,·SusanK. Frenchsocialismand sexualdifference: womenand the new society 1803-44. I 1. France. Socialism. Roleofwomen, history I. Title 335.00944 Reprinted andbound1994 inGreatBritainby AntonyRowe Ltd,Chippenhan1,Wiltshire In loving memory of Josephine Mercy Foley (1920-87) This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgements ix 1 Introduction 1 Women's Lifestyles: Workers and Bourgeoisie at the Turn of the Nineteenth Century 2 Defining 'Woman': Ideology and Imagery 7 Images of Woman in the Catholic Tradition 8 'Enlightened' Views of Woman 10 Medical Experts Examine Woman 14 2 Charles Fourier and the Nature of Women 20 Charles Fourier's Concept of the Natural Woman 25 Sexual Difference as a Social and Cosmic Force 36 3 Charles Fourier and the Roles of Women 42 Women's Domestic Role and the Failings of 'Civilisation' 43 The Social Roles of Women in Harmony 47 The Sexual Roles of Women in Harmony 53 4 The Saint-Simonians Discover 'Woman', 1803-1829 67 . Early Saint-Simonian Theories on Women 68 The Discovery of Woman's Special Nature 73 5 The Saint-Simonians Define Women's Social Roles 82 Transforming Women's Domestic Roles 83 Defining New Social Roles for Women 86 From Theory to Practice: Women in the Saint-Simonian Movement 1829-c.1834 97 6 The 'New Moral Law' and Women's Sexual Roles 107 The Origins and Development of the 'New Moral Law' 108 Saint-Simonian Responses to the 'New Moral Law' 110 The Defence of Indissoluble Marriage 110 vii viii Contents The Defence of 'Progressive' Marriage 113 The Defence of Free Love 118 'A Male Desire': Images of Women as Prostitutes and Concubines 124 7 The 'New Moral Law', the Family and Motherhood 131 The Nuclear Family and Paternal Rights 131 The Idealisation of Motherhood 133 The Role of the Priesthood: Reproducing the Social Family 140 The Parenthood of the Saint-Simonian Priests 140 The Saint-Simonian Concept of the Mother-Priestess 143 The Male Mode of Reproduction 147 8 Flora Tristan and the Moral Superiority of Women 155 Female Superiority and the Moral Evolution of Society 158 Religious Radicalism and the Defence of Female Superiority 165 European Women's Oppression and Its Moral Consequences 169 9 Flora Tristan, Socialism and the 'Reign of Women' 175 A 'Female' Mode of Socialism 175 Flora Tristan as 'Woman Guide' and Female Messiah 179 Towards the 'Reign ofWomen': The Roles of Women Under Socialism 183 Conclusion 192 Notes 197 Bibliography 227 Index 243 Acknowledgements Like many first books, this one began as a doctoral thesis and has incurreddebtsofgratitudespanningadecade. Myaffectionfor the early nineteenth century French socialists was first nurtured by DrJohn Hooper of Murdoch University, Western Australia. I thank him for that, as well as for providingvaluable criticism ofdrafts of thiswork, as teacherandlaterascolleague. DrRobertStuartofthe University ofWestern Australia also has a long acquaintance with this book, which has benefited from his critical comments and friendly advice. My colleagues at the Victoria University of Wel lington, New Zealand, have also contributed in various ways to thecompletionofthis project. IthankDrDavidMackayinparticu lar for reading and commenting on parts of the text. My special gratitude is extended to MsJacqueline Matthews, who shares my interestinthissubjectandhasgenerouslyshar~dherinsightswith me. Her expertise in the French language has also been most valuable, though the responsibility for translation and interpret ation naturally remains my own. I also thank Mrs Gloria Biggs, Mrs Kristin Downey and Mrs Barbara Cleverley for typing the manuscript, and solving many of my word-processing problems. As all scholars based in the Antipodes know, a project such as this cannot survive without the specialised assistance of Library staff, especially in the Reference and Inter-loan departments.' I have been fortunate to have had such assistance at Murdoch University Library; the Reid Library, University of Western Aus tralia; and at the Victoria University of Wellington Library. The staffs of the Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal and the Bibliotheque Mar guerite Durand in Paris, and the Goldsmiths' Library at the Uni versity of London, were also particularly helpful. It is customary for authors to thank their families at this point, and Ishallbe no exception. The projecthas imposed on theirlives in many ways yet I have had their unfailing, if sometimes be mused, support. Now that it is complete Ihope they experience the satisfaction, or at least relief, which their contributions warrant. ix
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