A History of Women's Political Thought in Europe, 1400-1700

Women's ideas concerning relations between women an men are discussed in tandem with their broader political outlooks; and the authors demonstrate that the development of a distinctively gender politics is reflected in women's critiques of marriage, the double standard, and women's exclusion from government. Women writers are also shown to be indebted to the ancient idea of political virtue, and to be acutely aware of being part of a long tradition of female political commentary. This work will be of tremendous interest to political philosophers, historians of ideas, and feminist scholars alike.