Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill - 816 Words

At the very beginning of this work of his, The subjection of Women, Mill sets forth the objective of the essay. He explains in clear terms that the legal subordination of one sex to the other is wrong in itself. This principle which regulates the existing social relations between the two sexes ought to be replaced by a principle of perfect equality. This principle should admit no power or privileges on the one side or disabilities on the other. Mill rejects society’s claim that the subordination of women is ‘natural’. According to him, this is a product of custom and however universal they may be, they afford presumptions. He says that they ought not create any prejudice in favour of the very arrangement which places women in social†¦show more content†¦Infact they do not want them to be slaves but to be their favourites. That is the very reason why they have made the best efforts to enslave their minds. He elaborates his argument saying that men wanted simple obedience from women and hence the educated them on such lines so as to make them submissive and yielding. They were brought up with the belief that they were not supposed to govern or rule over men. Inspite of the handicaps which a women bears, he strongly defends the cause of women saying that these fragments of the past are discordant with the future and must necessarily disappear. The essay is basically concerned about the admissibility of women to all functions and occupations, which has been retained as the monopoly of the stronger sex and is in the quest for the equality of women. It has been wrongly believed that women are incapable of certain employments which are open to even the basest of males and the societys very thinking that they, women, depart from the real path of success and happiness when they aspire to it. Such specialties include politic, science and philosophy. On the contrary, many women have proved themselves capable of everything, perhaps without a single exception, which is done by men. The unfitness of women for ‘these’ occupations is sometimes based on what has come to be known as the nature of women according to which the mental constitution of women differs from that of men.Show MoreRelatedThe Subjection Of Women By John Stuart Mill1724 Words   |  7 PagesWritten by John Stuart Mill in 1860-1861, as the Victorian era took place in England, â€Å"The Subjection of Women† is a critical piece of analysis in regards to the status of women in society and their unequal relationship with the opposite sex. During Mill s lifetime, women were considered to be inferior to men by custom and laws, and therefore, they were expected to be submissive in nature. Deeply influenced by the ideas of his wife Harriet Taylor Mill, and John Stuart Mill’s own beliefs, â€Å"The SubjectionRead More Theme of Inequality in The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill564 Words   |  3 Pages In the essay, The Subjection on Women, the author John Stuart Mill describes his views on the inequality between men and women. He gives his opinion on why men have so much power over women and why this occurs. John Stuart Mill describes a principle and system that regulates the social relations between women and men. The principle Mill proposes is the legal subordination of one sex to the other. He is referring to the dominance that men have over women. In 1869, the Parliament in EuropeRead MoreUtilitarian Perspective On Feminism1563 Words   |  7 PagesA Utilitarian Perspective on Women’s Rights John Stuart Mill’s discussion of the subjection of women leaves many scholars regarding him as one of the first feminist philosophers of his time. 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