First published in 1879, this incendiary text became the bible of socialist feminism and one of the most widely read political works of its era. August Bebel, leader of the German Social Democratic Party and confidant of Engels, argued with startling prescience that there could be no liberation for the working class without liberation for women and no socialism without feminism. Bebel traces the history of women's oppression from ancient matriarchal societies through feudalism to industrial capitalism, demonstrating that female subjugation is not timeless nature but historical construction. He attacks marriage as 'legalized prostitution,' champions women's right to education and economic independence, and predicts that socialism alone will achieve genuine equality between the sexes. The book scandalized bourgeois readers and inspired generations of radicals. Its 50 editions in dozens of languages testify to its explosive influence across Europe and beyond. For readers interested in the origins of feminist theory, the history of socialist movements, or the roots of debates still raging today about work, family, and liberation, this remains an essential and provocation.
