Abolish the Family: A Manifesto for Care and Liberation

Nobody is more likely to harm you than your family, even in so-called happy families. In this urgent, incisive polemic, leading feminist critic Sophie Lewis makes the case for family abolition. Abolish the Family traces the history of family abolitionist demands, beginning with nineteenth-century utopian socialist and sex radical Charles Fourier, the Communist Manifesto, and early-twentieth-century Russian family abolitionist Alexandra Kollontai. It also looks at historic rightwing panic about Black families and the violent imposition of the family on indigenous communities and insists that only by thinking beyond the family can we begin to imagine what might come after.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 04 October 2022
Publisher: Verso Books

The family, a complex and multifaceted institution, holds both immense potential for love and care as well as the potential for pain and trauma. For those fortunate enough to experience a supportive and nurturing family environment, it can be a source of strength and support. However, for many individuals, the family is a source of abandonment, neglect, abuse, and violence. In fact, research has shown that family members are often the primary perpetrators of harm against one another, making the family a particularly dangerous environment.

Even in what are perceived as "happy" families, the unpaid and unacknowledged work that goes into raising children and caring for each other can be overwhelming and exhausting. The traditional gender roles and expectations that are often perpetuated within families can also contribute to feelings of dissatisfaction and frustration.

In this urgent and thought-provoking polemic, leading feminist critic Sophie Lewis makes a compelling case for the abolition of the family. Abolish the Family traces the history of family abolitionist demands, beginning with nineteenth-century utopian socialist and sex radical Charles Fourier, the Communist Manifesto, and early-twentieth-century Russian family abolitionist Alexandra Kollontai.

Lewis then turns her attention to the 1960s, a period when radical feminists like Shulamith Firestone and gay liberationists advocated for the abolition of the family. This tradition, she argues, can be traced back to the queer marxists who have brought family abolition to the twenty-first century.

Throughout the essay, Lewis explores historic right-wing panic about Black families and the violent imposition of the family on indigenous communities. She argues that only by thinking beyond the family can we begin to imagine what might come after.

In conclusion, the family is a complex and multifaceted institution that holds both potential for good and harm. While it can be a source of support and love, it can also be a site of pain and trauma. By advocating for the abolition of the family, Sophie Lewis offers a bold and visionary vision for a more just and equitable society.

Dimension: 198 x 129 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839767197