Summary Of Declaration Of Women's Rights Tocqueville

Tocqueville’s understanding of women in Democracy in America is an accurate description of the circumstances of women in America. However, in this paper, I shall argue that his view on women’s choice to lead a domestic and submissive life is a misrepresentation of the true condition of women. According to Tocqueville, American women willingly choose to give up their freedom and rights to lead a happy domestic life. However, drawing from de Gouge’s critique of the Declaration of rights, as well as from the Declaration of Sentiments, I would argue that American women’s choice to live a submissive domestic life, is not a choice in the truest sense of the term. This apparent choice made by American women is actually a forced decision imposed by

Women in society did feel “aggrieved, oppressed and fraudulently deprived of their most sacred rights” [2]. Writers like de Gouge were of the opinion that the “tyrannical nature”[3] of men had to end and they believed that “woman is born free and lives up equal to man in her rights”(Art 1)[3]. The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen states that every citizen has the right to participate in the foundation of laws, “personally, or through his representative”(Art 6)[4]. Women were not considered citizens and were not allowed to participate by the male dominated society in the formation of laws. Marriage was the only way for women to become a part of the civilized society of men and thus getting married seemed like the best possible option even though marriage rendered a woman “civilly dead”[2]. Drawing from de Gouge’s critique that man has become “unjust to his companion”[3], I would argue that “the inexorable opinion of the public”(pg)[1] as mentioned by Tocqueville, places a woman in a position where she has no choice if she wants to live happily. Thus, even though she thoroughly examines the consequences of “the only road which can lead to domestic happiness”(pg)[1], the male dominated society imposes the belief in her mind, from childhood, that alternative paths might lead to social shaming.

Thus, drawing from these two documents, I would argue that the decision of submitting one’s rights can be viewed as a true choice only if men and women were recognized as equal citizens, “equal in the eyes of law”(Art 6)[3]. If under such conditions of true equality, a woman chooses to submit her rights to man after marriage, then it can be called her choice. However, if such circumstances are not present, as in the society Tocqueville examines, there shall forever be a lack of choice. As long as women are denied rights, they can never have the option to truly choose because most of the possible choices have been closed down by society. Therefore, the lack of rights perpetuates a lack of choice. Thus, when Tocqueville says that even the harshest of conditions which women face after marriage don’t break their “springs of their courage”(pg)[1], he mistakes women’s helplessness for their courage and perseverance. Women in such harsh conditions, have no option but to stick with their husbands because society renders all other alternatives