In the chapter - RISE OF NATIONALISM IN EUROPE

Pg no. 17, Source C- HOW WERE LIBERTY AND EQUALITY FOR WOMEN BE DEFINED?

Que---COMPARE THE POSITIONS ON THE QUESTIONS OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS VOICED BY THREE WRITERS CITED ABOVE. WHAT DO THEY REVEAL ABOUT LIBERAL IDEOLOGY?

Liberty and equality for women were to be defined in the following arguments:

 The liberal politician Carl Welcker, an elected member of the Frankfurt Parliament, expressed the following views: ‘Nature has created men and women to carry out different functions ... Man, the stronger, the bolder and freer of the two, has been designated as protector of the family, its provider, meant for public tasks in the domain of law, production, defence. Woman, the weaker, dependent and timid, requires the protection of man. Her sphere is the home, the care of the children, the nurturing of the family ... Do we require any further proof that given such differences, equality between the sexes would only endanger harmony and destroy the dignity of the family?’

Louise Otto-Peters (1819-95) was a political activist who founded a women’s journal and subsequently a feminist political association. The first issue of her newspaper (21 April 1849) carried the following editorial: ‘Let us ask how many men, possessed by thoughts of living and dying for the sake of Liberty, would be prepared to fight for the freedom of the entire people, of all human beings? When asked this question, they would all too easily respond with a “Yes!”, though their untiring efforts are intended for the benefit of only one half of humanity – men. But Liberty is indivisible! Free men therefore must not tolerate to be surrounded by the unfree ...’ 

An anonymous reader of the same newspaper sent the following letter to the editor on 25 June 1850: ‘It is indeed ridiculous and unreasonable to deny women political rights even though they enjoy the right to property which they make use of. They perform functions and assume responsibilities without however getting the benefits that accrue to men for the same ... Why this injustice? Is it not a disgrace that even the stupidest cattle-herder possesses the right to vote, simply because he is a man, whereas highly talented women owning considerable property are excluded from this right, even though they contribute so much to the maintenance of the state?’