Comparison Between John Stuart Mill's On Liberty And The Subjection Of Women

On April 24, 2013, 141 lives were lost after a structure in Dhaka, Bangladesh housing several garment factories collapsed due to known infrastructural flaws (Manick and Yardley 1). This development left many wondering just how such an event could have occurred given the signs of potential catastrophe and how they should respond to the tragedy. Answers to these questions may be found within the theories of political theorists Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill. From On Liberty and The Subjection of Women by Mill and Selected Writings by Marx, I feel Marx and Mill would offer varying explanations for the collapse and suggest different responses that are unique to their own beliefs. Karl Marx would likely attribute the collapse to capitalist economic

John Stuart Mill would likely find the Bangladeshi government and the administrators of the factory as the reason for the collapse because of their lack of proactive action and would encourage the punishment of the two parties based on the harm principle. Based on my interpretation of the two theorists, I feel elements from each theorist’s beliefs could be used to formulate an ideal response. Measures need to be made to prevent another tragedy within the garment industry in Bangladesh, and those most responsible for the egregious loss of life in the collapse must held accountable, as the victims and their families deserve justice.
Throughout Selected Writings, author Karl Marx critiques Capitalism. Marx views the Political Economy, a product of Capitalism, as one of the core reasons for workers becoming alienated from their labor and commoditized (Marx 58-59). Marx states, “Labor not only produces commodities. It also

Although not the end goal of Marx’s plan (Marx eventually wants government to vanish), two points in Marx Ten-point plan involve the centralization of services into the government. Point five suggests the centralization of credit into the control of the government via a central bank, creating an exclusive monopoly (Marx 176). Furthermore, point 6 calls for the centralizing transportation and communications into the hands of the government (Marx 176). Mill may see these points as going too far, in that the government would be taking away some individuality and extending themselves into affairs that are best left to the people. Mill lays out his perspective on individuality in On Liberty and the Subjection of Women when he states, “…men should be free to at upon their opinions – to carry these out in their lives, without hindrance, either physical or moral, from their fellow-men, so long as it is at their own risk and peril.” (Mill 64). Mill would likely say the Bangladeshi people having the option to choose their mode of transportation and bank is of no hindrance to anyone else. Additionally, Mill suggests “mischief” begins when the government substitutes its activity with individuals and bodies (by which he may mean business), which seems to be the case in Marx’s plan as the government is