Question

The highly influential text titled "On the Subjection of Women", which systematically argues for gender equality and political enfranchisement, was written by which of the following political thinkers?

• A. \( \text{Karl Marx} \)
• B. \( \text{John Stuart Mill} \)
• C. \( \text{Thomas Hobbes} \)
• D. \( \text{Jean-Jacques Rousseau} \)

Hint:

J.S. Mill is one of the few early classical liberal thinkers who explicitly championed women's voting rights and equality in Parliament, making his name easy to associate with this classic feminist text.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Factual identification of classic books, manifestos, and foundational essays by core thinkers is a regular feature in political theory modules.

Step 1: Match the book to its respective thinker. The text "On the Subjection of Women" was published in 1869 by John Stuart Mill, working in collaboration with his wife Harriet Taylor Mill. In this essay, Mill applies classical liberal principles to argue that the legal subordination of women is a major barrier to human development.

Step 2: Recall alternative classic texts by the other thinkers.
• Karl Marx: Famous for The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital.
• Thomas Hobbes: Best known for writing Leviathan (1651).
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Celebrated for The Social Contract (1762).