Sound Bite
John Blundell gives a lively portrait of more than 20 American women who spoke out for liberty, helping to shape the political and social fabric of the United States. His subjects range from frontier novelists to suffragists to the inventor of life insurance for women and a tax collector who challenged the IRS. Arranged chronologically, the stories add up to a history of America. Ladies for Liberty combats the myth that women want, and benefit from, big government. The underlying motivation of the women portrayed in these pages was that self-determination is a virtue, and that individuals should be allowed to pursue their own ends, free from the coercion of others.Note:
Responses to the first edition were so positive that in the fall of 2012, Mr. Blundell added five more of what he considers to be the best stories in US Women's History, namely Anne Hutchinson, Clara Barton, Alice Paul, Rosa Parks, and Mildred Loving. They are included now in this volume.
About the Author
John Blundell is the author of Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady (NYC: Algora, 2008) and Waging the War of Ideas (London: IEA, 3rd revised and expanded edition 2007). He wrote the current work while a Visiting Fellow of The Heritage Foundation, Washington, DC. He also serves as Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Institute of Economic Affairs, London, UK where he was Director General from 1993 through 2009.
He is a past President of the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University, Virginia and the Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Washington DC, and serves on both boards of directors. He is a past President of the Charles G Koch Foundation, Vice President of the Mont Pelerin Society and a former board member of the Philadelphia Society.
In 2010 he received an honorary doctorate in science from the University of Buckingham, UK and an honorary doctorate in social science from the Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala City, Guatemala, which also made him an Honorary Professor. He welcomes word of more ladies for liberty, dead or alive, American or non-American.
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About the Book
With this collection of biographies, the author seeks to inform and inspire readers. We read so much about the Founding Fathers, but far less material has been made available to introduce the ladies, smart and strong in their own right, who have...
With this collection of biographies, the author seeks to inform and inspire readers. We read so much about the Founding Fathers, but far less material has been made available to introduce the ladies, smart and strong in their own right, who have helped to form the political as well as the social universe that we are proud to call America. His selection focuses on women of Conservative/ Libertarian views, whether they were active in politics, business owners, writers or other cultural figures. Black as well as white, these women were revolutionary, some directly influencing the colonial breakaway from great Britain, some fighting for Abolition, others breaking new ground professionally. Each one not only made women's voices heard but made it clear that women have something to say that is both valid and valuable.� This book is intended for American and British readers alike, high school and above, and all who are interested in American history, Conservative/ Libertarian politics, or Women's Studies.
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Preface
It should come as no surprise that throughout the United States' history, women have played an intrinsic (albeit, underappreciated) role in the movement for liberty. Women are caregivers; it is to be expected that they would be sensitive both to...
It should come as no surprise that throughout the United States' history, women have played an intrinsic (albeit, underappreciated) role in the movement for liberty. Women are caregivers; it is to be expected that they would be sensitive both to the needs of others as well as the effects of government policies on the most vulnerable. Yet all too frequently, the expansion of government services has been justified because such programs are for the 'benefit of women.'
As such, Ladies for Liberty serves an important role in combating the myth that women want, and benefit from, big government. Although their actions may have varied, the underlying motivation of these many women was the same ' that self-determination is a virtue, and that individuals should be allowed to pursue their own ends, free from the coercion of others. How different the nation would be today if these women did not stand up for what they believed in!
The grassroots activism of 2009 and 2010 demonstrate that individual liberty and personal responsibility are still values that resonate with American women. From Sarah Palin's 'mama grizzlies' to Tea Party organizers like Jenny Beth Martin, it has become abundantly clear that millions of American women have come to recognize that there are serious costs to a too big, intrusive, wasteful government. They understand that government is strangling private business with costly mandates, high taxes, and uncertainty about what rules businesses can expect to operate under in the future.
But how many of these women know that today's political culture is only possible thanks to the groundwork lain by the Ladies for Liberty many years ago?
Modern-day tea party activists are following in the footsteps of activists like the Grimke sisters, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth, who bravely organized social movements in the face of tremendous odds. Political pundits are translating ideas to the people like Mercy Otis Warren, Rose Wilder Lane, and Clare Boothe Luce, who gave voice to the truth. And academics are standing upon the shoulders of intellectual giants like Rose Director Friedman, Isabel Paterson, and Jane Jacobs, who challenged conventional wisdom through their scholarship.
Women today do not face the same challenges that these brave ladies did, but they still must combat cultural pressures that highlight women's weaknesses and encourage dependency. Affording women special treatment in order to 'compete' - although well intentioned - is itself an insult, as it implies that women are not capable of doing so on their merits alone. At the end of the day, the true essence of feminism is to not be dependent on anyone else ' not a husband, not a father, and not the government ' because women are just as adept, clever, and skilled as their male counterparts.
Today, women have opportunities that previous generations could never have dreamed of; they are graduating from colleges in record numbers, opening businesses, and achieving positions of power from the Cabinet to the boardroom. Through technological advances, women are able to more easily balance work and home life ' opening up additional possibilities for employment, activism, and education. Consider the options that Abigail Adams or Harriet Tubman faced, versus how a woman can live her life today. Our foremothers would be pleased to see how easily a modern woman can empower herself!
Accordingly, it becomes all the more imperative that we use the tools available to us to continue pressing for reforms that will truly benefit future generations ' promoting personal responsibility, individual liberty, and free markets. Only a robust, dynamic economy will be able to provide women with the continued opportunities to choose their own path ' be it as an entrepreneur, a writer, an activist, or something else. Women themselves should be allowed to make those decisions, however ' not government bureaucrats.
John Blundell's Ladies for Liberty serves as an important reminder of the struggles of our predecessors. The best way to honor their sacrifices is to carry on their work, and to teach our daughters that they, too, can make a difference in the lives of others.
Nicole Neily
Nicole Neily is the executive director of the Independent Women's Forum, a Washington DC-based think tank that focuses on educating the public about the benefits of economic liberty and limited government.
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Introduction
Chapter 1. Mercy Otis Warren
� � � Writer and Revolutionary
� � � September 14, 1728'October 19, 1814
Chapter 2. Martha Washington
� � � Re
Introduction
Chapter 1. Mercy Otis Warren
� � � Writer and Revolutionary
� � � September 14, 1728'October 19, 1814
Chapter 2. Martha Washington
� � � Revolutionary
� � � June 2, 1731'May 22, 1802
Chapter 3. Abigail Adams
� � � Revolutionary, Abolitionist, Women's Rights Campaigner and Entrepreneur
� � � November 11, 1744'October 28, 1818
Chapter 4. The Grimke Sisters
� � � Anti-slavery and Women's Rights Campaigners
� � � Sarah Moore Grimke, November 26, 1792'December 23, 1873
� � � Angelina Emily Grimke, February 20, 1805'October 26, 1879
Chapter 5. Sojourner Truth
� � � Slave, Abolitionist and Women's Rights Activist
� � � Circa 1797'November 26, 1883
Chapter 6. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
� � � Advocate for Women's Liberties
� � � November 12, 1815'October 26, 1902
Chapter 7. Harriet Tubman
� � � Slave, Underground Railroad Conductor, Abolitionist and Spy
� � � Winter 1822'March 10, 1913
Chapter 8. Harriet Beecher Stowe
� � � Novelist and Abolitionist
� � � June 14, 1811'July 1, 1896
Chapter 9. Bina West Miller
� � � Businesswoman
� � � 1867'April 18, 1954
Chapter 10. Madam C J Walker
� � � Entrepreneur
� � � December 23, 1867'May 25, 1919
Chapter 11. Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane
� � � Laura Ingalls Wilder
� � � Author
� � � February 7, 1867'February 10, 1957
� � � Rose Wilder Lane
� � � Journalist, Author, Philosopher
� � � December 5, 1886'October 30, 1968
Chapter 12. Isabel Mary Paterson
� � � Writer, Mentor, and Political Theorist
� � � January 22, 1886'January 10, 1961
Chapter 13. Lila Acheson Wallace
� � � Magazine Publisher and Philanthropist
� � � December 25, 1889'May 7, 1984
Chapter 14. Vivien Kellems
� � � Entrepreneur and Tax Protestor
� � � June 7, 1896'January 25, 1975
Chapter 15. Taylor Caldwell
� � � Novelist
� � � September 7, 1900'August 30, 1985
Chapter 16. Clare Boothe Luce
� � � Writer, Editor, Politician, Diplomat
� � � April 10, 1903'October 9, 1987
Chapter 17. Ayn Rand
� � � Writer and Philosopher
� � � February 2, 1905'March 6, 1982
Chapter 18. Rose Director Friedman
� � � Economist, Author, Political Activist
� � � December 1911'April 18, 2009
Chapter 19. Jane Jacobs
� � � Writer and Urban Activist
� � � May 4, 1916'April 25, 2006
Chapter 20. Dorian Fisher
� � � Strategic Philanthropist
� � � September 14, 1919'April 3, 2007
Afterword
Ten Matters For Discussion
Further Reading
Acknowledgements
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More . . .
Read John Blundell in USA Today,� As Margaret Thatcher's legacy shows, historic firsts don't have a quick second...
Read John Blundell in USA Today,� As Margaret Thatcher's legacy shows, historic firsts don't have a quick second...
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More Information
How did a British economist come to write a book about American women's history? Read John's interview or watch his podcast at KosmosOnline.org, a project of the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. John has been invited to speak on Ladies for Liberty and his biography Margaret Thatcher, A Portrait of the Iron Lady, to audiences all across the US and from Guatemala to Toronto, and publishers are negotiating for foreign rights from Poland to China.
How did a British economist come to write a book about American women's history? Read John's interview or watch his podcast at KosmosOnline.org, a project of the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. John has been invited to speak on Ladies for Liberty and his biography Margaret Thatcher, A Portrait of the Iron Lady, to audiences all across the US and from Guatemala to Toronto, and publishers are negotiating for foreign rights from Poland to China.
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“Through carefully chosen, dramatic vignettes that capture the essence of his subjects, John Blundell draws us into the exciting worlds of some 20 exceptional women, showing us how each one... | More »
“Through carefully chosen, dramatic vignettes that capture the essence of his subjects, John Blundell draws us into the exciting worlds of some 20 exceptional women, showing us how each one discovers her calling, courageously pursues it against great odds, and finally triumphs. He shows that the common thread weaving through their diverse tales is an ardent love for liberty that they all share and exemplify. These amazing stories are an inspiration to men and women alike. The book’s lively, cheerful style and compelling personal anecdotes make it a real page-turner – a rare find in nonfiction – and with history lessons galore.”
Gen LaGreca, Novelist, Noble Vision
“John Blundell offers a much needed complement to the traditionally male-dominated history of liberty, reminding us of the vital role American women have played – and continue to play... | More »
“John Blundell offers a much needed complement to the traditionally male-dominated history of liberty, reminding us of the vital role American women have played – and continue to play – in the struggle for freedom. The exceptional lives depicted in this volume are all stories of courage, determination, and the importance of living one’s beliefs. Blundell’s engaging style makes this book a treat to read.”
Dr Christine Henderson, Fellow, Liberty Fund Inc., Indianapolis, IN
“John Blundell tracks through time to bring us stories of America’s bravest and most thoughtful women – a guidebook for lovers of liberty.” | More »
“John Blundell tracks through time to bring us stories of America’s bravest and most thoughtful women – a guidebook for lovers of liberty.”
Priscillia Hunt, Economist, RAND Europe
“The liberty-loving ladies profiled in this book are a fascinating group of courageous individuals whose ideas and actions changed the course of history. Kudos is due to John Blundell for... | More »
“The liberty-loving ladies profiled in this book are a fascinating group of courageous individuals whose ideas and actions changed the course of history. Kudos is due to John Blundell for having written such an informative and interesting book.”
Hon Louise Oliver, Former US Permanent Representative to UNESCO
“John Blundell offers a glimpse into the lives of over 20 women from well known historical figures to many who might otherwise be forgotten. Sharing insights typically neglected in... | More »
“John Blundell offers a glimpse into the lives of over 20 women from well known historical figures to many who might otherwise be forgotten. Sharing insights typically neglected in traditional historical narratives, he weaves together a picture of individuals who fiercely embraced ideals and principles – and acted on them – to leave their mark on the history of America. Their tales are told amidst the context of their times, reminding us how each woman was courageous, heroic, unusual, or ‘ahead of her time.’. His underlying emphasis on freedom and individual responsibility are particularly timely given America’s growing reflection on its roots, the role of government, and the role of the individual.”
Dr Jo Ann Kwong, Director of Philanthropic Services, Philanthropy Roundtable, Washington, DC
“The secret for success for a book such as this is the choice of subjects and John Blundell has done a great job ranging from the Revolution to modern times, showing how women have... | More »
“The secret for success for a book such as this is the choice of subjects and John Blundell has done a great job ranging from the Revolution to modern times, showing how women have contributed to our understanding of freedom and responsibility in so many ways and through a wide range of career paths.”
Jeanette N Goodman, President, Job Creators Alliance
“John Blundell has done a superb job of identifying ladies who believed in the principles of liberty and a society based on free-market principles. Several are well known but others not so... | More »
“John Blundell has done a superb job of identifying ladies who believed in the principles of liberty and a society based on free-market principles. Several are well known but others not so well known. This book brings to light the stories of those who are not so well known which are so important. It is must reading.”
Sally C Pipes, President, Pacific Research Institute, San Francisco, CA
“Ladies for Liberty is an inspiring read for any American, but especially for the scores of modern-day female patriots whose ways were paved by the outstanding women in this book.... | More »
“Ladies for Liberty is an inspiring read for any American, but especially for the scores of modern-day female patriots whose ways were paved by the outstanding women in this book. Blundell moves chronologically through American history and the freedoms for which women have fought – freedom from government oppression and over-taxation, freedom from slavery, freedom to vote, and freedom to succeed as an entrepreneur. The fact that we have come full circle underlines the importance of continuing the fight to protect these freedoms, and makes “Ladies for Liberty all the more timely and significant. Thank you, Mr. Blundell for providing so many superb examples of women after whom modern-day female patriots can model ourselves.”
Jamie Storey, President, The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
“John Blundell has done a great service in reminding us of our intellectual foremothers who fought for liberty in the past. The inspirational life stories he shares offer valuable lessons for... | More »
“John Blundell has done a great service in reminding us of our intellectual foremothers who fought for liberty in the past. The inspirational life stories he shares offer valuable lessons for those who champion the cause today.”
Amy H Sturgis, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Belmont University, TN
“This book is at once both inspiring and instructive, offering a glimpse into the character and examples of American women who understood the cause of liberty and dedicated their lives to it.... | More »
“This book is at once both inspiring and instructive, offering a glimpse into the character and examples of American women who understood the cause of liberty and dedicated their lives to it. From standing up against tyranny and slavery, to building institutions and entrepreneurship, to demanding rights and the opportunity to be heard in the public arena, these heartwarming narratives exemplify the principles and purposes of what makes America great today.”
Dr Priscilla Tacujan, Education Program Manager, Atlas Economic Research Foundation, Washington, DC
The Freeman, 2012
Ladies for Liberty is a book on a mission. It seeks to combat “the myth that women want, and benefit from, big government” and, instead, pays homage to the “millions of American women” who recognize the “serious costs” associated with an intrusive state.
Author and economist John Blundell does so by presenting 22 exquisitely drawn portraits of American women who fought for their autonomy and against any cultural or political forces that dared to deny it to them. In order of presentation, the featured women are: Mercy Otis Warren, Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, the Grimké sisters, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bina West Miller, Madam C. J. Walker, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Rose Wilder Lane, Isabel Paterson, Lila Acheson Wallace, Vivien Kellems, Taylor Caldwell, Clare Boothe Luce, Ayn Rand, Rose Director Friedman, Jane Jacobs, and Dorian Fisher.
Beginning with the American Revolution, the book moves quickly through to current time with a well-balanced assortment of writers, business women, philanthropists, and political activists. Many were not libertarian nor classical liberal but all were women who expanded freedom in various ways: combatting slavery, securing the vote, fighting against oppressive government, and demanding the right to be an entrepreneur. For example, Madam C.J. Walker rose from being the first free born child of ex-slaves to become a businesswoman and philanthropist whom a Louisiana newspaper labeled the “World's Richest Negress.” Blundell writes, “When she became a millionaire shortly before World War I, she was the first woman ever to reach such a milestone on her own initiative and without inheritance or the use of force, according to The Guiness Book of Records.”
What makes the book so readable is Blundell's deftness at making the personalities come alive, complete with intellectual and historical context. Part of the vividness of the vignettes comes from Blundell's evident respect for ideas; his book Waging the War of Ideas (2007) presents concepts as living things that ebb and flow through the people who create history. Part of it comes from his respect for and understanding of women which is clear in the nuanced portrayals; his book Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady (2008) is widely viewed as the definitive biography on the former Prime Minister....
Wendy McElroy
Libertys Leading Ladies, in the journal Liberty Unbound | More »
Libertys Leading Ladies, in the journal Liberty Unbound
John Blundell has just released a book designed to acquaint Americans with a fascinating, though largely unknown, part of their history — the role of women in maintaining (indeed, helping very significantly to create) America's tradition of individual liberty. His book is a series of introductions to 22 women who did important things for liberty. The women are, in chronological order: Mercy Otis Warren, Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, the Grimké sisters, Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Bina West Miller, Madam C. J. Walker, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Rose Wilder Lane, Isabel Paterson, Lila Acheson Wallace, Vivien Kellems, Taylor Caldwell, Clare Boothe Luce, Ayn Rand, Rose Director Friedman, Jane Jacobs, and Dorian Fisher. Twenty-two women. How many of them do you know? Most Americans will recognize Washington, Stanton, Stowe, and maybe Adams. Libertarians will recognize Paterson, Rand, Lane, and Friedman — maybe Jane Jacobs too. People interested in abolition and the progress of black people in America will add Sojourner Truth, Madam Walker, and others to their list. Conservatives will welcome Luce and others. But all of them deserve to be known to everyone who is interested in American achievement and American character, as well as American ideas about individual freedom. Few of these women were libertarians in the contemporary American sense. The libertarian movement (first intellectual, then political) is best dated from the 1920s. But all of them had something important to do with ideas and practices of liberty with which libertarians will proudly acknowledge a connection. Blundell is to be congratulated for presenting a broad spectrum of interests and occupations. The most obvious occupation for an advocate of liberty is that of writer, and there are many professional writers represented: Stowe, Paterson, Rand, Lane, Caldwell, Luce . . . But business people are also prominent in this book. Who can exceed the personal interest and allure of such businesswomen as Madam Walker, one of America's great black entrepreneurs, or Vivien Kellems, the great anti-tax crusader? Who wouldn't want to know more about these dynamic individuals? Blundell's format limits him to about ten pages for each; but once you know these people exist, you can read more about them, and he offers suggestions for further reading. I'm not an unskeptical audience, about anything. So I would quarrel with some of Blundell's judgments, one of which in particular I wish he would rethink: the high value he places on Rose Wilder Lane’s The Discovery of Freedom (1943). Lane was a good writer, sometimes a writer of genius, but Discovery is a poor book — wandering, disorganized, self-contradictory, circular in logic, chronically wrong about historical fact. If you want to see Lane to advantage, read Free Land (1938) or Give Me Liberty (1936). You'll find those books rewarding, and (something different) you'll like their author. Such animadversions are, however, beside the point. Blundell’s project seems to me exactly right. The women he discusses are full of personality, full of vitality, full of fascination for any intelligent reader. It’s a disgrace that, as Blundell observes, so few people, so few libertarians, know much about them (with the exception of Ayn Rand). Blundell’s discussions are of exactly the right length and kind to stimulate interest. The book can be read at one sitting, as I read it, or at occasional moments in a busy week. In either case, it will entertain and inform. It’s a particularly good candidate for a Christmas gift to intelligent friends, libertarian or not. I would like to see it in the hands of young women, because young people right now are under great pressure to conform and become anything but vivid, eccentric, complex, vital, creative, or libertarian. And that’s no way to live.
Stephen Cox
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Pages 230
Year: 2011
LC Classification: CT3260.B615 2011
Dewey code: 920.72--dc22
BISAC: HIS036000 HISTORY / United States / General
BISAC: BIO022000 BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women
Soft Cover
ISBN: 978-0-87586-864-6
Price: USD 22.95
Hard Cover
ISBN: 978-0-87586-865-3
Price: USD 32.95
eBook
ISBN: 978-0-87586-866-0
Price: USD 22.95
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