The Subjection of Women (1860/1869) John Stuart Mill The Aim Challenges common notion: o women are by nature

unequal to men The subjection of women is based on a premodern law of force, not on the modern use of reason. The present system of subjugation of the weaker female sex to the stronger male sex rests upon unproven theory. Equality of the sexes has not been tested as of yet only theoretical. Subjection Historical examples: o o o Masters and slaves US South and slavery Absolute monarchy

Natural=customary; unnatural = uncustomary Oppressed only want a relaxation of power over them; not freedom at once

Rule of Men over Women Not a rule of force Voluntarily accepted by women Not true, according to Mill. Women writers are expressing dissatisfaction with their social position

Difference between Women and Slave Classes Masters require more than just service Not just obedience, sentiments too Other slave masters use fear Men use education: women brought up to be submissive and to yield to those in power

Duty of Women All the moralities tell them that it is the duty of women, and all the current sentimentalities that it is their nature, to live for others; to make complete abnegation of themselves, and to have no life but in their affections Allowed affections: to their men and their children Must look to the future Modern era: no one is BORN into their place in society nor chained to it People are free to employ their faculties, and such favourable chances as offer, to achieve the lot which may appear to them most desirable. The same applies to women. nature of women - artificial the result of forced repression in some directions, unnatural stimulation in others Only physiological differences between the sexes no others Male-female/children relationships - insincere that what is contrary to womens nature to do, they never will be made to do by simply giving their nature free play What women by nature cannot do, it is quite superfluous to forbid them from doing. What they can do, but not so well as the men who are their competitors, competition suffices to exclude them from; since nobody asks for protective duties and bounties in favour of women; it is only asked that the present bounties and protective duties in favour of men should be recalled. If women have a greater natural inclination for some things than others, there is no need of laws or social inculcation to make the majority of them for the former in preference to the latter. Whatever womens services are most wanted for, the free play of competition will hold out the strongest inducements to them to undertake. And, as the words imply, they are most wanted for the things for which they are most fit; by the apportionment of which to them, the collective faculties of the two sexes can be applied on the whole with the greatest sum of valuable result. Historically, women forced into marriage because all other options were unavailable Men afraid of equality in marriage! If equality is not in the future, then it was wrong to educate women.