Mill, Harriet Taylor (1807-1858), was the wife of the British philosopher John Stuart Mill. John Stuart Mill claimed that she was an inspiration and coauthor for several major works published under his name. Her level of involvement in his work is uncertain. But she probably contributed important insights to his rethinking of the doctrine of utilitarianism and his support for increased rights for women and workers. Utilitarianism is the belief that the ultimate goal of public policy should be to promote the general happiness.
John Stuart Mill said that Harriet helped him write parts of On Liberty (1859), Principles of Political Economy (1848), and The Subjection of Women (1869). However, many scholars dispute the claim that she co-wrote these and others of his books. They attribute only the 1851 essay “Enfranchisement of Women” to her.
Harriet Hardy was born on Oct. 8, 1807, in Walworth, near Durham, England. In 1826, she married John Taylor, a merchant. She met John Stuart Mill about 1830, and the two quickly became close friends. They married in 1851, two years after Taylor’s death. Harriet died on Nov. 3, 1858.
