Society of Revolutionary Republican Women

The Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women (Société des Citoyennes Républicaines Révolutionnaires, Société des républicaines révolutionnaires) were two most famous political clubs during the French Revolution formed May 10, 1793, lasting less than five months. In this short span, however, the two Societies managed to create quite a stir in the national political scene, and brought to light some controversial points about women and political and sexual equality.

By the summer of 1789, the French Revolution had begun. The Tennis Court Oath had been made and the Third Estate of the Estates-General had created a new "National Assembly". Large crowds gathered in public places to discuss the state of the revolution and to discuss what could and should be done in order to remedy the problems that besieged the state. Women too participated in these discussions. On January 1, 1789 a document was addressed to the King, “Petition des femmes du Tiers Etat au roi”, which stated that women wanted equal educational opportunities. Along with the argument for education there was also an argument put forth for equality of sexes. Many of them had strong feelings and opinions about the revolution and what should be happening in the government. One point that was especially poignant for the women in this era was economic stability. Market prices were out of control and women had to feed their families. On October 5, 1789, women had their first major role in the Revolution. On this day, women marched to Versailles to demand bread from King Louis XVI. While need for bread was not the only reason that women began to take an interest in the Revolution, it was a very prominent one, especially in the early stages.The feminist newspaper “Etrennes Nationales des dames” would publish an article calling women to have an active role in the National Assembly and reminding them of the day, October 5th, that so many women took a stand.

In these early years, Etta Palm d'Aelders produced a pamphlet which proposed that a group of women's clubs be organized throughout the country in order to begin a sort of welfare program. In that pamphlet she writes:

"Would it not be useful to form, in each Section of the capital, a patriotic society of citoyennes ... [who] would meet in each Section as frequently as they believed useful for the public good and following their own particular rules; each circle would have its own directorate…Thus, it would be in a position to supervise efficiently the enemies harbored in the midst of the capital and to differentiate the genuinely poor person in need of his brothers’ aid from brigands called out by enemies."

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