Newton argues that socialist women and their concerns posed a radical challenge to the male-dominated left. Early socialist women fought to be treated as equals and actively debated popular women's issues, including domestic work, women in industry, sexuality, and women's suffrage. They provided a unique and vibrant perspective on these issues and challenged the middle-class bias inherent in the women's movement. Broadening our understanding of Canadian social history, Newton analyses the intersection of two important social movements - the labour/socialist and the turn-of-the-century feminist movements - and draws conclusions that are essential for understanding the class and gender characteristics of social criticism and activism in this period.

span style=""font-weight: bold;"">Janice Newton is an Associate Professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts at York University.

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"This spirited examination of the dialogue between feminism and socialism will create considerable interest and debate. I wholeheartedly recommend the book." Veronica Strong-Boag, Centre for Research in Women's Studies and Gender Relations, University of British Columbia.