~ 1756 - 1836
William Godwin was an English philosopher, novelist, and political journalist born on March 3, 1756, who is best known for his works on political philosophy and his novel "Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams." A prominent advocate of anarchism and individualism, he was one of the first to articulate ideas about the rights of the individual and the role of government. Godwin's influential writings laid the groundwork for later political thought and he is often associated with the early feminist movement through his marriage to Mary Wollstonecraft.