The Subjection of Women
Published in 1869 and shaped by years of discussion with his wife Harriet Taylor Mill, this essay makes the case that the legal and social subordination of women is both unjust and a drag on human progress. Mill argues that no one can claim women are naturally inferior when they have never been free to develop on their own terms. He compares the marriage laws of his day to a form of bondage, calls for equal access to education and work, and insists that a society denying half its members full citizenship harms everyone. Bold for its time, it became a founding text of liberal feminism. This free PDF and EPUB edition keeps the argument within reach.
About the Author
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was an English philosopher, economist, and political thinker, one of the most influential figures of the nineteenth century, author of On Liberty and A System of Logic.
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Listen to The Subjection of Women Audiobook Free
Listen to The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill free online. The full audiobook (4 hr 49 min, 10 chapters, read by volunteer narrators) streams free on this page.
The Subjection of Women (1862) is a public domain work.
| # | Chapter | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapter 1, Part 1 | 24:54 | |
| 2 | Chapter 1, Part 2 | 26:14 | |
| 3 | Chapter 1, Part 3 | 29:30 | |
| 4 | Chapter 2, Part 1 | 29:13 | |
| 5 | Chapter 2, Part 2 | 28:49 | |
| 6 | Chapter 3, Part 1 | 24:01 | |
| 7 | Chapter 3, Part 2 | 32:38 | |
| 8 | Chapter 3, Part 3 | 20:22 | |
| 9 | Chapter 4, Part 1 | 33:17 | |
| 10 | Chapter 4, Part 2 | 40:05 |
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