Mary Wollstonecraft - the French Revolution

In response to Edmund Burke’s conservative viewpoint, Mary Wollstonecraft defended the French Revolution. She thought those who yielded to the old traditions were just fooling themselves and being slaves to old habits. By not considering other alternatives, the privileged were denying themselves enlightenment, and by being interested only in themselves, they were blinded to the plight of the less fortunate. Wollstonecraft states that “the man has been changed into an artificial monster by the station in which he was born, and the consequent homage that benumbed his faculties like the torpedo’s touch – or a being, with a capacity of reasoning, would not have failed to discover, as his faculties unfolded, that true happiness arose from the friendship and intimacy which can only be enjoyed by equals; and that charity is not a condescending distribution of alms, but an intercourse of good offices and mutual benefits, founded on respect for justice and humanity” (pg. 58).

Burke supported the American Revolution, but criticized those who supported the French Revolution saying that people had no right to overthrow the government or challenge tradition. Wollstonecraft points out his inconsistencies noting that slavery was tradition that “sanctioned a traffic that outrages every suggestion of reason” (pg. 59). Wollstonecraft defends the poor women who Burke referred to as “the vilest of women” (pg. 61) and points out that these women were far more disadvantaged than the queen who Burke felt such compassion for. She found it ironic that Burke was so moved by the queen’s suffering but felt nothing for the predicament of the poor women. Wollstonecraft ridiculed Burke’s flowery prose and states she is “led very often to doubt your sincerity and to suppose that you have said many things merely for the sake of saying them well” (pg.61). Wollstonecraft reveals her sarcastic side as well when she refers to Burke’s “plausible arguments and witty illustrations” (pg. 62).

Wollstonecraft outlined what she saw was wrong with traditional forms of government and questioned why the rich had exclusive rights to pleasure and comfort. She argued that rights of all people should be based on justice and she condemned the rich for turning a blind eye to the oppressed. I am more sympathetic to Wollstonecraft’s side of the argument and agree with her that human rights should not be based on the ways of the past, but should be based on what is morally right and just.