Toward a Feminist Theory of the State [Hardcover]

Catharine A. MacKinnon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1989

Toward a Feminist Theory of the State presents Catharine MacKinnon's powerful analysis of politics, sexuality, and the law from the perspective of women. Using the debate over Marxism and feminism as a point of departure, MacKinnon develops a theory of gender centered on sexual subordination and applies it to the state. The result is an informed and compelling critique of inequality and a transformative vision of a direction for social change.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A theoretical legal treatise from activist attorney MacKinnon ( Sexual Harrassment of Working Women, LJ 6/1/79; Feminism Unmodified, LJ 5/15/87), co-author of the controversial Dworkin-MacKinnon anti-pornography civil rights ordinance. She begins with a discussion of feminism and Marxism, because (as she explains) the latter is the only contemporary political tradition to confront organized social dominance as a dynamic. She goes on to analyze feminist method (consciousness-raising) and the knowledge it reveals; and what she calls feminism unmodified (radical feminism) as a post-Marxist methodology. She explores issues of sexuality/gender and how they contribute to women's oppression and the role of the liberal state in promoting it. Revealing, closely reasoned, densely written, this is not easy reading, but sure to be hotly debated among academicians and intellectuals. For university libraries.
- Beverly Miller, Boise State Univ. Lib., Id.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

The single most important book in the new jurisprudence...It is, in my opinion, the only book in legal theory produced in the twentieth century which can rank with H. L. A. Hart's "The Concept of Law" (1961). Both change the framework arid transform the paradigm of the theoretical debate. All discourse within the framework of liberal legal theory has had to place itself in relationship to the ideas and theories of Hart. All feminist legal theory, likewise, must place itself in reference to the writings of MacKinnon. Her work, however, is much more significant than that of Hart, because her perspective has the potential of social revolution.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 330 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press; First edition. edition (September 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674896459
• ISBN-13: 978-0674896451
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #344,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction > Activism

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Foundational Work, January 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Toward a Feminist Theory of the State (Paperback)

MacKinnon's work on social constructionist radical feminist is the most eloquent, powerful, persuasive articulation of the field to date. "Postmodernism" could learn a lot by looking back to MacKinnon and REALLY understanding what she has to say instead of dismissing her work as 'essentialist.' MacKinnon continues to be a brilliant, important voice in feminism despite its energies being tapped by unfortunate new movements in academic that have distracted young scholars' attention. A Must Read.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant??, July 3, 2011

By 

B. Tupper (Ramona, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Toward a Feminist Theory of the State (Paperback)

This woman is absolutely brilliant. Note, for example:

p. 184: "Most women who seek abortions became pregnant while having sexual intercourse with men."

One wonders how many women become pregnant while having intercourse with other women.

On p. 162 she writes: "Formally, the state is male in that objectivity is its norm."

I guess she means that women are not, or cannot or should not be, objective. She goes on to say that the entire structure of laws guaranteeing freedom of speech, equality under the law, etc., the rule of law itself, are artifacts of male domination and should therefore be eliminated.

Her definition of rape covers all acts of sexual intercourse where the woman is not the actual initiator, then she argues, p.149: "...the truly interesting question becomes how and why sexuality in women is ever other than masochistic." On other pages she argues that a woman's sexual desire is nothing more than an artifact of submission to male dominance.

Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!

[Nota Bene: contrary to the automatically generated heading, which I have been unable to edit, this review is of the hardcover edition, which may make a difference in the page numbers.]

5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, July 7, 2005

By 

Ryan Welsh (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Toward a Feminist Theory of the State (Paperback)

The writing of Catharine MacKinnon is the most thorough and conclusive explanations of male domination in our society that I have had the pleasure of exploring. It refutes many other feminist theories and then gives a solid base for her own explanation of feminism. I highly recomend this writing to anyone interested in feminism or political theory.