Women, Peace and Welfare: A Suppressed History of Social Reform, 1880-1920

Decades before the establishment of the earliest systems of Western social welfare, scores of intrepid women forged a path toward turning these theoretical ideas into reality. Their research lay the groundwork for the nascent welfare state in the early twentieth century. In Women, Peace and Welfare, Ann Oakley delves deep into the forgotten work of these so-called “dangerous women,” focusing on the period between 1880 and 1920, using their stories to illuminate long-unexplored corners in the histories of social reform and pacifism. Oakley shows how their efforts—connected by thriving transnational networks in Europe, Africa, and the United States—provided information and inspiration for the earliest attempts to build the modern welfare state, as well as a powerful vision of humane living that resonates even today.