In 1869, Mill wrote The Subjection of Women. During this time period, women weren’t being treated equally. They were in charge of many things at home, such as, cooking, cleaning and caring for children. If a woman was allowed to work, she would be making much less than a man was and would likely be working longer hours and in harsher conditions. John Stuart Mill’s essay argued for change. It argued for equal rights - for both sexes. Mill’s essay is an instrumental piece given the time period it was written in. Mill states “that numerous benefits will follow from allowing women the liberty to control their own destiny and the freedom to hold an equal position in society” (Smith). These benefits are improved conditions within a marriage, as the women would no longer be fully reliant on their husbands and would not have to endure their abuse. However, the biggest benefit would be that society would have a number of strong, diverse, capable, and hardworking individuals, all added to the community - allowing more work to be done in a shorter amount of time. 

Sources 

Smith, Elizabeth S. “John Stuart Mill’s ‘The Subjection of Women’: A Re-Examination.” Polity, vol. 34, no. 2, 2001, pp. 181–203. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3235433. Accessed 15 Sept. 2023.

Mill, Stuart John “The Subjection of Women”

Suggested Readings

Smith, Elizabeth S. “John Stuart Mill’s ‘The Subjection of Women’: A Re-Examination.” Polity, vol. 34, no. 2, 2001, pp. 181–203. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3235433. Accessed 15 Sept. 2023.