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Harriet Taylor Mill is an overlooked figure in the history of political philosophy, ethics, economics and politics, over-shadowed by the fame of her writing partner, and eventual husband, John Stuart Mill. This work explores her contribution to political theory, ethics, political economy, and political reform.

Best known as the author of On Liberty, John Stuart Mill remains a canonical figure in liberalism today. Yet according to his autobiography, by the mid-1840s he placed himself "under the general designation of Socialist." Taking this self-description seriously, John Stuart Mill, Socialist reinterprets Mill's work in its light.

Socialism as the Means to Maximizing Happiness: Mill's Crisis of Faith and the Expansion of the Horizons of Human Society -- Criticisms of Capitalism and Mill's Idea of a "Perfected" System of Private Property -- Mill's Assessment of Contemporary Socialism(s): Community, Cooperation and Revolution -- Mill's Socialist Principles -- Mill's Socialist "Utopia" -- Conclusion.

Harriet Taylor Mill and Anna Wheeler are two 19th century British feminists generally over-shadowed by the fame of the men with whom they co-authored (respectively John Stuart Mill and William Thompson). Yet both made important, and interesting, contributions to political thought, particularly regarding deconstruction of the patriarchal institution of marriage; and the current property regime which – they believed – in dominating workers, unfairly distributing the product of labour, and encouraging 'individualism' did little to maximise the general happiness. Both were feminists, utilitarians, and socialists. How they link these three core elements is both interestingly similar, and interestingly different. This article has four aims. Firstly, to make a strong claim concerning their authorial hand in works often considered to be solely the work of their male co-author. Secondly, to sketch those co-authoring relationships, and consider whether Taylor Mill and Stuart Mill may even have consciously constructed their early letters On Marriage on what they knew of Thompson and Wheeler's relationship. Thirdly, to map out their shared, though not identical, claim that marriage was a form of slavery, and the proposals they offered to free women from the domination of patriarchal relationships. Fourthly, to explore the way in which both thought female emancipation would be most truly realised via cooperative socialism.

Compared to other elements of his political and economic thought, John Stuart Mill's claim to be 'under the general designation of Socialist' has largely been ignored. Where it has been acknowledged, it has generally been denied. One exception to this rule has been to link Mill with 'market socialism', primarily because of his commitments to worker-cooperatives and competition. These are both elements of Mill's socialism, but when we examine his position on production, distribution and exchange more carefully, it becomes much less clear that Mill endorses anything like a 'market' in his socialism. This paper offers a critical assessment of Mill's status as 'market socialist', considering, in particular, the 'ethos' he proposed for socialist organization of production and exchange, which is at odds with a profit-seeking motivation.

The events of 1848 in France had a profound effect on John Stuart Mill, marking both an important change, and emphasising an important continuity, in his radical political thought. Mill had always had a strong interest in French politics, and a long-standing committment to the call for 'Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!'. However, his previous view of how these aims could be achieved underwent a transformation after 1826, and the events of 1848 made him realise his views were 'under the general designation of Socialist'. This article explores Mill's reaction to 1848 as events unfolded and his continued defence of the Provisional Government, showing what this reveals about his growing knowledge of, and committment to, socialism.

The role of the 'ideal' in political philosophy is currently much discussed. These debates cast useful light on Mill's self-designation as 'under the general designation of Socialist'. Considering Mill's assessment of potential property-relations on the grounds of their desirability, feasibility and 'accessibility' (disambiguated as 'immediate-availability', 'eventual-availability' and ;conceivable-availability') shows us not only how desirable and feasible he thought 'utopian' socialist schemes were, but which options we should implement. This, coupled with Mill's belief that a socialist ideal should guide social reforms (as the North Star guides mariners), reveals much more clearly the extent of his socialist commitments (even if he thought political economists would be concerned with forms of individual property for some time to come). Moreover, this framework for assessments of 'ideal' institutions makes a useful contribution to an ongoing contemporary debate.

In The Political Economy of Progress, Joseph Persky argues for seeing J.S. Mill as a consistent 'radical' with much to offer modern 'radical' political discourse. In this article, I further this claim with consideration of Mill's political philosophy, as well as his political economy. Exploring Mill's commitment to radical re-ordering of the economy, as well as emphasising his commitment to egalitarianism; his historically-nuanced view of 'the progress of justice'; and his desire for a transformation of social (and economic) relations allows us to see more clearly how Mill's radicalism was a specific species of socialism. That is, Mill's early radical enthusiasm for the ideals of 'liberty, equality, and fraternity' are also to be seen in his later socialism. Recognising his 'radicalism' as a species of socialism allows greater understanding of the depth, importance, and 'radicalism' of Mill's desired socialist reforms.

This paper considers an oft-criticised passage of John Stuart Mill's The Subjection of Women, arguing that Mill's position is misunderstood. In this passage, Mill identifies a trilemma facing women in non-ideal circumstances. Two elements of this can be satisfied, but not all three, so long as men continue to refuse to perform their domestic responsibilities. In these non-ideal circumstances, Mill privileges justice over autonomy – women ought only to be asked to do their fair share of labour, which, if they chose to marry and have children, will mean it is unfair to ask them also to work full-time outside the home.

In his youth, John Stuart Mill followed his father's philosophy of persuasion but, in 1830, Mill adopted a new philosophy of persuasion, trying to lead people incrementally towards the truth from their original stand-points rather than engage them antagonistically. Understanding this change helps us understand apparent contradictions in Mill's canon, as he disguises some of his more radical ideas in order to bring his audience to re-assess and authentically change their opinions. It also suggests a way of reassessing the relationship between Mill's public and private works, to which we should look if we are attempting to understand his thought.

Background  The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences with and meaning of employment in the lives of mothers of children with autism in China.Materials and Methods  This research used qualitative methods including open‐ended questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews with mothers of children with autism participating in an intervention program in Beijing.Results  Mothers find employment outside the home appealing, but they also see their role of mother as requiring being responsible and often making sacrifices.Conclusions  Mothers in this study make sacrifices in their own lives, including employment, in order to promote and provide intervention for their children with autism. These families had fewer services available to them than in many developed Western countries, and most services are at a cost to the parents. Considerations that Chinese mothers of children with autism make regarding their own employment situation are unique.