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Unit 13: John Stuart Mill: His Life and Theory of Liberty

In the Principles, Mill observed the need to open industrial occupations freely to both sexes, but a Notes
shortcoming of The Subjection was the neglect of the question of how women of all classes could
find and keep their jobs. Mill failed to address the problems of women in the market place and as
part of the labour force. Mill’s concern was with the removal of the legal barriers erected by
patriarchy that prevented the possibilities of a compassionate and interdependent relationship
between a husband and wife, ensuring political equality for both men and women in the political
sphere. At that time, skilled female labour in the market place was still a remote possibility,
whereas suffrage was the burning issue. The question of whether to grant women the right to vote
and citizenship was linked to their subordinate and inferior status—a prejudice that Mill felt was
imperative to confront and combat.
Many of Mill’s contemporaries acknowledged his importance because of his eminence, but did not
regard him their leader, for in their opinion he had ignored the plight of daughters, sisters or
single women living alone or under the parental roof in The Subjection. His focus was on the wife
and mother. Most Victorian Feminists voiced concern about the status and problems of single
women. They focused on the problems that daughters faced, a relationship that all women shared
and the most crucial problem in a society that did not give them independence. This seemed an
appropriate framework for discussing the power of fathers and in delineating the basis of patriarchy.
However, the scope of The Subjection was much more wide than alleged by the Victorian Feminists,
for Mill did see the plight of single women in a society that gave undue importance to marriage.
This was clear from his concern and description of Eleanor Garrett, who was denied the
opportunities of leading a decent, independent life. The solution, according to him, was in giving
freedom of choice to women, whether married or single. He could perceive clearly that the problems
women faced were not merely those of misconception or false social notions, but of systematic
domination, which was why he constantly used the language of justice, freedom and slavery to
improve their lot.
Mill defended the right of individual women who wanted the opportunity to choose a life other
than that of motherhood and marriage. He did believe that most women would not make that
choice, but he certainly did not want to force women into marriage by not offering them alternatives.
He also defended the right of exceptional women to have their freedom of choice, and to make the
home a dignified and honourable place for those who preferred domestic work. He believed that
ordinary men and women were slaves to custom, and it was necessary to remove the legal barriers
which restricted women’s opportunities.
Self-Assessment
1. The subjection of women is the title of an essay written in ............... .
(i) 1869 (ii) 1858 (iii) 1867 (iv) 1871
2. History of British India was published in ............... .
(i) 1818 (ii) 1819 (iii) 1820 (iv) 1817
3. Mill’s system of logic was completed in ............... .
(i) 1842 (ii) 1843 (iii) 1841 (iv) 1843
4. Mill pointed out that every human action has ............... aspects.
(i) moral aspect (ii) aesthetic aspect
(iii) sympathetic aspect (iv) All of these.

13.5 Summary

• Mill’s efforts to revise and modify classical Utilitarianism by emphasizing the social aspect
of the individual, the need to assess happiness both quantitatively and qualitatively, stating

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