Understanding Utility and Justice in The Light of J.S. Mill’s Conception of ‘Justly Constituted’ Family

Abstract

John Stuart Mill, well-known in the history of moral and political philosophy as a liberal utilitarian thinker, claims that the notion of justice is very much ingrained in the meaning of utility. Hence, it would be wrong to argue that any attempt to establish justice goes against utilitarian ethics. However, if we read Mill’s The Subjection of Women, a tension can be noted to exist between his conceptions of utility and justice. In this paper, an attempt has been made to explore and examine the justification of Mill’s claim with reference to his conception of “justly constituted” family through which he claims to advocate women’s empowerment by establishing gender-justice within family. In The Subjection of Women, drawing a picture of “justly constituted” family, Mill has tried to argue that social utility can be established only if the relationship between marital partners is governed by justice. In the first section of the paper, Mill’s notions of utility and justice have been explored alongside his understanding of the connection between these two notions. In the second section, Mill’s conception of “justly constituted” family, reflected through his various statements and arguments concerning gender-equality, has been brought into focus. In the third section, the justification of Mill’s claim concerning intimate connection between justice and social utility has been critically assessed with reference to his conception of “justly constituted” family in connection with his liberal utilitarian position.