Correct option is A
John Stuart Mill was a strong advocate for the rights of women and played a key role in defending women's equality and suffrage. He argued for the advancement of women’s rights in his work "The Subjection of Women" (1869). He also supported the Married Women's Property Bill, which aimed to secure property rights for women in marriage. Mill believed that women should have equal legal standing, including rights to own and control property independently of their husbands.
However, Mill did not defend Bentham’s utilitarianism in toto. While influenced by Bentham, Mill refined utilitarianism by introducing the concept of higher and lower pleasures, rejecting Bentham's purely quantitative approach. Mill also rejected patriarchy, which perpetuates male dominance, as he saw it as an unjust system of social inequality.
Information Booster:
1. J. S. Mill was a prominent 19th-century philosopher known for his contributions to utilitarianism, liberalism, and feminist theory.
2. He advocated for women's rights and was a strong supporter of gender equality, writing extensively on the topic.
3. Mill’s support of the Married Women's Property Bill was crucial in securing women’s legal rights in marriage.
4. Mill's version of utilitarianism focused on the quality of pleasures rather than just their quantity, differentiating him from Bentham’s utilitarianism.
5. Mill was opposed to patriarchy and saw it as a system that undermined personal liberty and fairness.
6. Mill was an early supporter of the women’s suffrage movement, advocating for women’s right to vote.