Single Idea 21125

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 12. Feminism]

Full Idea

A liberal society should give people considerable latitude to form families as they choose. …On the other hand the family …is one of the most notorious homes of sex hierarchy, denial of sexual opportunity, and sex-based violence and humiliation.

Gist of Idea

Liberals must respect family freedom - but families are the great oppressors of women

Source

Martha Nussbaum (Rawls and Feminism [2003], 03), quoted by Andrew Shorten - Contemporary Political Theory

Book Reference

Shorten,Andrew: 'Contemporary Political Theory' [Palgrave 2016], p.71


A Reaction

The question of how the state might intervene in the family rarely seems to turn up in standard political theory. This idea shows why that is a mistake.