Primary sourceBook1869
The Subjection of Women
John Stuart Mill · 1869
Mill's 1869 essay arguing that the legal and social subordination of women is wrong and should be replaced by equality.
Mill's own essay making the case for women's equality, central to his legacy as a reformer.
About this source
What it is
This is the full text of The Subjection of Women, written by John Stuart Mill and published in 1869. It survives today as a text on Wikisource.
Why it matters
Mill argues that the inequality between men and women is not natural but imposed, and that it should be replaced with equality. The essay became a foundational text for later arguments for women's suffrage and rights, and shows Mill applying his broader philosophy of liberty to gender.
Look closer
- Why does Mill say the difficulty of his argument lies not in reason but in feeling?
- What does Mill mean when he calls the subordination of women a "hindrance to human improvement"?
- Why might a man writing in 1869 choose to argue for women's equality?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John Stuart Mill on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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