Marriage, as It Was, as It Is, and as It Should Be: A Plea for Reform

Published in 1882, 'Marriage, as It Was, as It Is, and as It Should Be: A Plea for Reform' by Annie Besant critiques the marriage laws in Great Britain, highlighting their oppressive effects on women. Besant argues that these laws treat women as property, stripping them of rights and agency, and advocates for reforms to establish marriage as an equal partnership. The book provides historical and philosophical insights into human rights and calls for societal changes to eliminate the hierarchical structures that persist in marriage.