Eighteenth-century France was an era of intense social and intellectual upheaval. Courtly culture, characterised by ceremony and elegance, collided with the spontaneous emergence of philosophical currents that challenged the existing political and religious authorities. It was a time when the idea of liberty became a central topic of discussion, and women, particularly those who created the phenomenon of libertinage érudit, began to play a significant role in the development of new theories.
The book analyses the long-underestimated theories of French women freethinkers and represents an original contribution to the libertinage érudit.
The reflections of these intellectuals are still relevant today for discussions on the role of the state in shaping the status and rights of women in society. Their critical perspective on the Catholic church, religion, the public sphere and education is one of the lesser-known aspects, but it was an essential source for the emancipatory demands that emerged during the Revolution of 1789 and formed the intellectual legacy for later well-founded waves of French feminism.
This book makes an important contribution to understanding the intellectual foundations of emancipation and the important role that women played in formulating theories of liberty and equality in Enlightenment France.