John Stewarat Mills On Liberty and the Subjection of Women Essay

John Stewarat Mill's On Liberty and the Subjection of Women Born in 1806, John Stewart Mill was an English philosopher who highly prized the Utilitarian belief system, or the doctrine of seeking the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. Among his various political treatises, On Liberty and The Subjection of Women are excellent applications of his convictions in individualism and negative government. Though the subjects of each work differ to an extent, both are written in a dialogue format, and the general principles postulated in On Liberty can be easily applied to the second work. Essentially, Mill seeks to assert the importance of certain personal rights and freedoms, moral beliefs, and the integrity of the individual. The Subjection of Women incorporates concepts from On Liberty and defines them via concrete application to a real social problem. The crucial idea supported throughout On Liberty is stated by Mill in Chapter 1: â€Å"That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant† (9). This statement encapsulates Mill’s view that government should serve a negative role, or rather, interfere in the lives of the people only for the prevention of harm. Further, this assumes to an extent that the individual has some degree of common sense, morality, or knowledge of how to care for one ’s self. In The Subjection of Woman, Mill stretches this ideal to women to explain the irrationality behind the government’s relegation of women to second-class citizens against their will. Mill’s opponents assert that women are known to be inferior, both ... ...shment of friendship through deliberation, so too will the inclusion of women into intellectual society color and expand the depth of knowledge. â€Å"Women’s thoughts are thus as useful in giving reality to those of thinking men, as men’s thoughts in giving width and largess to those of women† (Women 63). In essence, Mill asserts that â€Å"true wisdom† only comes from those who â€Å"hear what can be said about [a subject] by persons of every opinion, and study all modes in which it can be looked at by every character of mind† (On Liberty 19). Therefore, The Subjection of Women expounds this notion by explaining the fallacy and potential dangers of ignoring the feminine potential. Throughout both works, his views are consistent toward preserving the individual, encouraging free thinking, and progressing society to a point past social prejudices and negative presuppositions.