The concern is this: If women are educated, will they be unbearable? But Mill observes that originally what a man hopes for in a marriage is companionship, and by allowing one's wife to be an educated, involved citizen, he can deepen their relationship. Mill anticipates a response in his commentary about women being educated.

Wives should be viewed as friends, not as property. Empowering women is improving the community itself.īy allowing women to participate in trade and education and politics, people gain the expertise of an entire population-half the population in fact-thereby doubling their odds of discovering a cure, for example, or for solving a particularly difficult problem. Therefore, women should be free to try anything, and if they are naturally inferior, nature itself will restrain them. It's an argument from silence, and Mill challenges men to be scientific about their assumptions, and to not assume something until it has been proven with evidence. They are saying 'Look how bad women are' without ever having given them the chance to seriously try at things to see if they really are bad. Men use spurious logic to maintain sexist views.īy saying that women are inferior and then 'protecting' women by insulating them from experience, men are establishing a straw man argument. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

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The subjection of women book