I've been studying a lot of political history and, although that is not something I would normally try to bring into ThaiVisa let alone the ladies forum,

one name keeps cropping up that of Emma Goldman (1869-1940) and her influence over the politics of freedom in the 20th century.

There are many critics of Goldman, but her intelligence, dedication and contribution cannot be doubted.

I hope you will excuse my obvious cut and paste as I would like to offer something brief that might stir your interest rather than the huge essays that would bore you with their digression, but that you may want to look at in your leisure.

"I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everybody's right to beautiful, radiant things."

Emma Goldman dedicated her life to the creation of a radically new social order. Convinced that the political and economic organization of modern society was fundamentally unjust, she embraced anarchism for the vision it offered of liberty, harmony and true social justice. For decades, she struggled tirelessly against widespread inequality, repression and exploitation.

Goldman's deep commitment to the ideal of absolute freedom led her to espouse a wide range of controversial causes. A fiery orator and a gifted writer, she became a passionate advocate of freedom of expression, sexual freedom and birth control, equality and independence for women, radical education, union organization and workers' rights.

Support for these ideas, many of which were unpopular with mainstream America, earned Goldman the enmity of powerful political and economic authorities. Known as "exceedingly dangerous" and one of the two most dangerous anarchists in America, she was often harrassed or arrested while lecturing, and sometimes banned outright from speaking. Insisting on the right to express herself in the face of overwhelming odds, Goldman became a prominent figure in the establishment of the right to freedom of speech in America.

Emma Goldman, c. 1910

Photographer: T. Kajiwara

Edited September 18, 200718 yr by Robski

Rob ...thanks for this thought provoking topic.

Im not a political scientist, and only recently started to learn a little bit more about socialism, conseratism and libberalism. I ofcourse identify with being a liberal.

before reading your thread Id have taken anarchy to mean its more commonly used meaning of 'chaos/disorder'.

but the lines you included here mentions things like freedom, liberty, equality. that got me to have another read on anarchy.some of what Goldman advocates for like social justice are not quite in line with the liberal concepts, yet one aspect of anarchy is about individualism? strangely...thats one of the very basic fundamentals of liberalism. so seems like theres some overlap, but at the same time some very opposing views within the philosophies.

by the way....I actually dont think capitalism is bad only problem is...atleast in this part of the world it has been used with mostly negative connotation. so much so that Im guessing many that dont even understand the term or concept simply assume its about those with money (capital) taking advantage of the 'poor'

the media or anti capitalist groups seem to conveniently leave out one tiny detail ... that the biggest capital in any economy is the human capital ..... which the so-called poor own.

Marie Curie.

Helen Keller

Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Victoria

Mother Theresa

Sarah/Angelina Grimk

Virgin Mary

Edited September 19, 200718 yr by fletchthai68

Not a big fan of Mother Theresa, to be honest fletch.

However, the top three women on your list are definitely to be admired Victoria, while truly a leader, was a bit too uptight for my tastes

Elizabeth Cady Stanton is certainly a woman to read about as well.

Indira Ghandi

Rosa Luxembourg

Camille Claudel

Jeanne D'Arc

Patricia Highsmith

All favourites for one reason or another. First broke the mould, second, immense courage and self sacrifice allied to intellectual excellence, third, unrecognised brilliance because she did not have testicles, fourth, iconic world changing figure, fifth, brilliant underrated writer, read her and you see how bad the rest of the crime writers are.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn; 'The Rebel Girl' of the same song...think of an anarcho-syndicalist Emma Goldman...

My granma. She left the wealthy family home to study art and took on maid jobs to support herself while in school, circa 1910. Unfortunately succumbed to Cupid via my grandpa and ended up as a settler in Western Canada.

Lots of women broke the mold. Shelley and her mom come to mind. Not really a gender specialist, so leave it to you all.

....

However, the top three women on your list are definitely to be admired Victoria, while truly a leader, was a bit too uptight for my tastes

Elizabeth Cady Stanton is certainly a woman to read about as well.

Admiration - That would be another topic

One more I thought of was Eve. Definitely influential. If she hadn't like Apples the world would be a very different place...

Edited September 23, 200718 yr by fletchthai68

Hi

Prominent pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, not worldly influential, but gets my admiration for her persistance in dangerous circumstances.