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The Society of Revolutionary Republican Women (''Société des Citoyennes Républicaines Révolutionnaires'', ''Société des républicaines révolutionnaires'') was a political club during the French Revolution formed May 10, 1793, lasting less than five months. In this short span, however, the Society managed to create quite a stir in the national political scene, and brought to light some controversial points about women and political and sexual equality. ==Background== (詳細はTennis Court Oath had been made and the Third Estate of the Estates-General had created a new "National Assembly".〔Brown, Gregory S. ''French Revolution Chronology.'' University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Web. November 23, 2009.〕 Large crowds gathered in public places to discuss the state of the revolution and to discuss what could and should be done in order to remedy the problems that besieged the state. Women too participated in these discussions.On January 1, 1789 a document was addressed to the King, “Petition des femmes du Tiers Etat au roi”, which stated that women wanted equal educational opportunities. Along with the argument for education there was also an argument put forth for equality of sexes.〔 Melzer, Sara E., and Leslie W. Rabine. Rebel Daughters: Women and the French Revolution. New York: Oxford UP, 1992. Print.〕 Many of them had strong feelings and opinions about the revolution and what should be happening in the government. One point that was especially poignant for the women in this era was economic stability. Market prices were out of control and women had to feed their families. On October 5, 1789, women had their first major role in the Revolution. On this day, women marched to Versailles to demand bread from King Louis XVI.〔''Women and the French Revolution''. Sunshine for Women, 2003. Web. 24 Nov. 2009.〕 While need for bread was not the only reason that women began to take an interest in the Revolution, it was a very prominent one, especially in the early stages.The feminist newspaper “Etrennes Nationales des dames” would publish an article calling women to have an active role in the National Assembly and reminding them of the day, October 5th, that so many women took a stand.〔 Melzer, Sara E., and Leslie W. Rabine. Rebel Daughters: Women and the French Revolution. New York: Oxford UP, 1992. Print.〕 In these early years, Etta Palm d'Aelders produced a pamphlet which proposed that a group of women's clubs be organized throughout the country in order to begin a sort of welfare program.〔d'Aelders, Etta Palm, ''Lettre d’une amie de la vérité, Etta Palm, née d’Aelders, Hollandoise, sur les demarches des ennemis extérieurs et intérieurs de la France; suivie d’une adresse a toutes les citoyennes patriots, et d’une motion a leur proposer pour l’Assembleé nationale, lue a l’Assemblée fedérative des amis de la vérité, le 23 mars 1791'' (n.p.,n.d.), in Bibliothèque historique de la Ville de Paris, 12, 807, vol. 1, no. 15, pp. 16-31. Found in: Levy, Darline Gay, Harriet Branson Applewhite and Mary Durham Johnson. ''Women in Revolutionary Paris 1789-1795.'' United States of America: University of Illinois Press, 1979. Print.〕 In that pamphlet she writes:
The political clubs in France at this time were all predominantly male, and they excluded women. Women were able to take part in politics through mixed fraternal societies. Clubs with only female membership began to pick up steam, they became very popular in the provinces. While most women understood that these clubs were simply to support the males in the army, some women wanted to fight alongside them. 〔 Melzer, Sara E., and Leslie W. Rabine. Rebel Daughters: Women and the French Revolution. New York: Oxford UP, 1992. Print 〕 Today, we know of about thirty women's clubs that sprung up at this time: These clubs organized themselves well. Each had a presiding body and each laid out rules for their specific clubs.〔Godineau, Dominique: Translated by Katherine Streip. ''The Women of Paris and Their French Revolution.'' United States of America: University of California Press, 1998. Print.〕 These clubs had a membership range of two hundred to six hundred, with an active attendance of about sixty.〔 Over time, these women's clubs began to widen their political scope and include other issues in their meetings. Soon, the issue of citizenship began to emerge. ''Citoyenne'' - not only did they want the title of citizen, a designation as an inhabitant of the country, they wanted the rights and responsibilities that come with being a citizen.〔 One woman went before the National Convention to say this:
In 1791, Olympe de Gouges published one of the most prominent women's rights documents of that time period: The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen. This document introduced the issue of women's rights directly into the French Revolution. It argued that sexual equality had a place in the revolution for equal rights.〔Heuer, Jennifer Ngaire. "Gender and Women's Rights." ''French Revolution, Encyclopedia of Human Rights.'' Oxford Reference, 2009. Web. 24 Nov. 2009.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Society of Revolutionary Republican Women」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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