Political Obligation, Freedom and Feminism

Abstract

How should feminist theorists approach the analysis of political obligation and freedom? In her article in the December 1989 issue of thisReview, Nancy Hirschmann proposed a fundamental reconstruction of these concepts. Carole Pateman agrees that liberal obligation theory inadequately treats the coercion of women and other groups under the guise of voluntary obligations. But she argues that Hirschmann goes too far, particularly in rejecting the priority of freedom. Hirschmann explicates their disagreements and her approach.