Connections
Political
Politically speaking, the works of Olympe de Gouges were not manifested for nearly a century. She wanted women to have equal rights to men, which was finally achieved in most countries after World War I, when women were given the right to vote. Her works on abolitionism were influential to abolitionists both in Europe and in the United States. The political ramifications of her abolitionist work included the emancipation proclamation of 1863, exactly 125 years after she published her most famous anti-slavery play Zamore and Mizra, or the Happy Shipwreck. Another of her plays was “L’Esclavage des noirs (“Slavery of Blacks”), which was staged at the Théâtre-Français” (Kuiper). This history of African slavery contributes to the legacy of worldwide slavery and it’s mark of the record of world history. Her work continued to be relevant well into the 1900’s during the civil rights movement, the result of which being the legal recognition of African Americans as equal to Caucasians. However, during Olympe de Gouges lifetime, her work, especially her Declaration, helped raise awareness for the political group The Society of Republican and Revolutionary Women. In addition, it is likely that the way in which de Gouges raised awareness about the injustice of slavery directly impacted the National Assembly’s abolition of slavery in France.
*Women revolutionaries in 18th century France
Economic
Olympe de Gouges’ work had the economic ramifications of improving the independence and working conditions of women worldwide. By championing women’s rights to equality, Olympe de Gouges inspired countless other feminists to fight for better working conditions and equal wages. The wage gap between men and women is an injustice that most of the working women of the world still feel today. Still, as a founder of the early western feminist movement, today’s feminists fight for the very same causes as Olympe de Gouges. de Gouges was also an active playwright throughout her lifetime, and though the audience for her work was not wide, her messages about the injustices of her time reached people through the popular culture of her time.
Social
The social impact of Olympe de Gouges work was initially small, but as the feminist movement grew, her impact was felt once again. Men of her time were quick to dismiss any talk of women’s rights, as females were regarded as completely inferior. Regardless of this fact, every push to reduce the social stigma of female inferiority helps to bring us closer to a world without gender bias. Olympe de Gouges’ work is still relevant today due to the fact that this social stigma still exists, although to a lesser extent than during the time of de Gouges. Although society has progressed, gender equality is not yet a social norm. Misogynistic tendencies, even when unintentional, are still present in our everyday lives. de Gouges was also an active playwright throughout her lifetime, and though the audience for her work was not wide, her messages about the injustices of her time reached people through the popular culture of her time. Her plays attacked the treatment of slaves and women as well as other people who were treated unfairly by society. Her ability to capture an audience and make them aware of an important social concern through a play was powerful. People were affected by the message behind her works, even if they attended her plays simply for enjoyment. This increased awareness for the causes that Olympe de Gouges championed, causes that are still important to our lives today. Luckily, our society is much more aware of the issues women face, even though they might not always be addressed. Even if someday we reach a point where the works and plight of olympe de gouge are no longer directly relevant, society will be forever thankful for all that she did to improve the quality of life of women, people of color, and children.