Question

Who among the following thinkers is the author of "The Subjection of Women"?

• A. Mary Wollstonecraft
• B. Michel Foucault
• C. John Stuart Mill
• D. Will Kymlicka

Hint:

J.S. Mill used Logic and Utility to prove that women's inequality was an irrational relic of the past. Don't confuse him with Wollstonecraft, who wrote *A Vindication of the Rights of Woman*.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept: *The Subjection of Women* (1869) is a foundational text in liberal feminist theory, written by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill. While Mill is credited as the author, he acknowledged the significant intellectual influence of his wife, Harriet Taylor Mill.

Step 1: The Core Argument.
Mill argues that the legal and social subordination of women to men is "wrong in itself" and is one of the chief obstacles to human improvement. He applies the principles of utilitarianism and individual liberty to argue that society cannot progress if half of its population is excluded from public and intellectual life.

Step 2: Nature vs. Nurture.
A key part of Mill's argument is his challenge to the idea that women are "naturally" inferior. He argues that what is considered "natural" for women is actually the result of forced repression and lack of education. If women were given the same opportunities as men, they would prove to be equally capable.

Step 3: Equality in Marriage and Suffrage.
Mill was one of the first male philosophers to advocate for women's right to vote (suffrage) and for reforms in marriage laws, which at the time stripped women of their legal identity and property. He envisioned marriage as a partnership of equals.