Marriage, As It Was, As It Is, and As It Should Be: A Plea for Reform

"Marriage, As It Was, As It Is, and As It Should Be: A Plea for Reform" by Annie Besant is a sharp examination of marriage in the 1800s, where the author argues that current marriage laws unfairly suppress women. The book pushes for big changes to make things fairer. It starts by looking at the history of human rights and how women have always had to fight for the same rights as men. The author argues that the structure of marriage has shifted over time, but it still leaves women with way fewer rights. Besant sees this system as old-fashioned and controlling. She wants both the law and society to change, so marriage is seen as a team effort between equals, not a boss-and-worker situation.