Exploring the role of women and feminism in the early Canadian socialist movement, Janice Newton traces the growth and ultimate decline of feminist ideas within the Canadian Socialist League, the Socialist Party of Canada, and the Social Democratic Party.

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.