Today, on the occasion of "Women's Day", attention was focused on some historical facts. In 1792 the British philosopher Marie Woolen Kraft wrote a book entitled
A Vindication of The Rights of Women
The book presents such rare ideas for women that even today, reading the book, it seems as if it was written in the last decades of the twentieth century.
Rousseau, the forerunner of the French Revolution, was also a staunch Christian at the time. She wrote in her book, Emily, that women should be kept away from rational sciences and confined to the home. In view of these views of Rousseau, Marie Woolen Kraft, who was deeply influenced by the French Revolution, had the opportunity to express her unique views in support of women's rights. Following the publication of the book, Edmund Burke, Britain's "Great Conservative Thinker", was moved and made a lot of fun of Mary Woolen Craft in his book.
My demand was that women need representation in three areas. One is the rational education that is given to men, the other is that they should be given equal opportunity to get involved in politics and the third is that they should be given equal opportunities to work alongside men.
The situation in Britain today is that 50% of women are doctors, 50% are legislators, 222 women are members of the British Parliament. Are, and four per cent are journalists, while sixty-five per cent of the UK's total workforce. I did my own thing and passed away at the age of only 28.
We have to see if the ideas that are being presented are against the class, is it conservative or progressive? The struggle of women is certainly progressive in itself. Since most other groups and religious parties in Pakistan are conservative, mixing women's voices should be a priority for all "progressives".
A revolutionary is one who is active, dynamic, and can raise his voice in society at the theoretical and practical level. Ignorant forces and parties are never revolutionary. So salute the struggle of women. Just remember my Woolen Craft in your struggle, and if possible read his book, that book is still helpful in determining the direction of the struggle.
Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of The Rights of Women
