Autonomy as a disposition to non-domination in the work of Mary Wollstonecraft

ABSTRACT

In this paper I argue that there is a notion of autonomy which can be extrapolated from Wollstonecraft’s work: central to this notion is the need for us all to adopt a disposition to non-domination.Thus, an individual is autonomous when she is not dominated but also, how she behaves towards others is significant, for she is only truly autonomous if she does not dominate others. I argue that such a disposition can be read in Wollstonecraft as something which cuts across the public/private divide. It is based on the notion that individuals are always capable of being rational in both of these spheres. There must be a disposition to non-domination because Wollstonecraft demonstrates how domination is corrupting, and when this disposition is lost we find ourselves faced with myriad concerns from slavery to multiple forms of social oppression. Domination creates relations of dependency. It is arbitrary and contingent and makes us relate to each other with a marked lack of compassion. Instead, Wollstonecraft stresses we have a duty to treat others as equals and key to this duty is the need to not dominate others. Finally, I highlight how Wollstonecraft suggests such a disposition is to be gained through education.

KEYWORDS:

• Autonomy
• Wollstonecraft’s work
• corrupting
• non-domination

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. I first began the project of thinking about autonomy in the work of Mary Wollstonecraft in my book (Hague, 2011).

2. ‘It is not by squandering alms that the poor can be relieved, or improved–it is the fostering sun of kindness, the wisdom that finds them employments calculated to give them habits of virtue, that meliorates their condition. Love is only the fruit of love, condescension and authority may produce the obedience you applaud; but he has lost his heart of flesh who can see a fellow-creature humbled before him, and trembling at the frown of a being, whose heart is supplied by the same vital current, and whose pride ought to be checked by a consciousness of having the same infirmities’ (Wollstonecraft, [1790] 1995a, p. 60). Here, she is referring to the kind of love a clergyman should show his flock.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ros Hague

The Journal of Gender Studies is very sad to report that the author of this article, Dr Ros Hague, died unexpectedly in November 2017.

Ros Hague was a Senior Lecturer in Politics at Nottingham Trent University.

She was an established academic who taught for several years at Nottingham University before joining the Department of Politics and International Relations at Nottingham Trent.

A tribute on the PSA environmental politics webpage remembers Ros as ‘passionate about her academic research – in the areas of Feminism and Environmentalism – as well as her teaching. A lovely colleague and friend - full of humour and compassion. She will be greatly missed by her colleagues and students’