“The Subjection of Women,” one of Mill’s most renowned essays, was published in 1869, and stands as one of the 19th century’s strongest calls for gender equality. In this essay, Mill argues that the inferior political status of women in comparison to men is unjust and stems from social customs, not natural differences. He boldly likens marriage to slavery, stating that in the British culture and political system of his time, women’s legal status was not any better than that of slaves. Mill advocates for women to own property and have educational rights, suffrage, the freedom to divorce, and occupations beyond marriage. He believed that ending the subjection of women requires more than legal changes; it demands a shift in public opinion, social education, and family dynamics. Mill concludes that women, and society as a whole, would greatly benefit from women’s enfranchisement and their participation in public life.
“The Subjection of Women” was ahead of its time, sparking more controversy than any of his other writings. James Fitzjames Stephen, a leading jurist of Mill’s time, stated that he disagreed with the essay “from the first sentence to the last.” Many popular magazines gave the essay negative reviews. “The Subjection of Women” was Mill’s only publication that caused his publisher to lose money.
In spite of the criticism it faced, “The Subjection of Women” circulated widely among women’s advocacy groups in the nineteenth century and helped advance women’s enfranchisement in Great Britain. Modern feminists have praised its political impact. Some of its philosophical arguments, however, have faced significant criticism in contemporary times. The essay consists of four chapters, and scholars often point out an inconsistency between the first two chapters and the last two. It appears that in chapters three and four, Mill shifts away from the more radical stance he establishes earlier in the essay. Most of the elements in the essay that contemporary critics have taken issue with are found in these latter chapters. Some critics argue that Mill was insufficiently radical and doubt the effectiveness of simply removing legal obstacles to achieving gender equality. They argue that Mill didn’t fully address the unfair division of labor in homes and was overly optimistic that most women would choose to be wives as their primary role.
In the face of this criticism, some Mill scholars point out that we must consider the background and political purpose of the essay. In 1867, Mill initiated the first major debate on women’s right to vote in the House of Commons. “The Subjection of Women” was published in 1869, which made it likely that it was meant for those who had rejected his proposal for women’s suffrage. Some scholars believe that to protect the emerging women’s rights movement, Mill might have omitted or tempered his more radical views.
While Mill is the only named author of the essay, he acknowledged the substantial impact that his wife, Harriet Taylor, had on his work. In “The Subjection of Women,” Mill states that Harriet Taylor co-wrote much of the content. Taylor, a deep thinker herself, published “The Enfranchisement of Women” in 1851, promoting the extension of suffrage to women. It is difficult to pinpoint Taylor’s exact contributions to the essay, but it is safe to say that her insights played a crucial role in Mill’s arguments.
