john stuart mill on liberty

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In this book, Mill expounds his concept of individual freedom within the context of his ideas on history and the state. In time, the rigorous challenging of mixed doctrines would allow future thinkers to separate the true parts from the false parts of any given ideology. John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, feminist, and civil servant. Mill believes that all eras are either organic or critical. Instead, he argues that when people act upon custom alone, they do not make a decision, they simply follow what has already been done without thought. Chapter I defines civil liberty as the limit that must Mill believes that every person has their own personal preferences and tastes in all aspects of life. Liberty John Stuart Mill 1: Introduction that is, the •majority, or •those who get themselves to be accepted as the majority. of affairs can exercise a tyrannical power even outside the political In this elongated essay, Mill aims to defend what he refers to as “one very simple principle,” what modern commentators would later call the harm principle. SHARE. By Mill’s time, the old orders of monarchy and aristocracy were waning, and democratic republics began to predominate the European political landscape. For Mill, society has a legitimate interest in regulating trade to assure there is no foul play or dishonesty in marketing. If we do not make use of them they will weaken; by consistently defending our opinions, we bolster them against falsities that would usurp their position in our minds. Mill justifies the value of liberty through a Utilitarian approach. You can view our. outcasts or facing a legal penalty. During critical periods we yearn for new ideas, according to Mill, so we allow people to pursue their lives in “in innumerable and conflicting directions.” This freedom to experiment with different ideas and ways of life allows for progress, both material and moral. Mill believed that bureaucracy would naturally lead to stagnation and eventual decline due to the power of vested interests which cripple creativity. In the chapter entitled Of Individuality, as one of the elements of well‐​being, Mill makes a case for the positive value of individuality. From time immemorial, human civilization has been characterized by the struggle between individual liberty and authority, culminating in the idea that liberty really means freedom and protection from tyranny or oppression. For example, drinking alcohol and selling alcohol are wholly different endeavours. By John Stuart Mill. He rightly believed that the era in which he lived was marked by unprecedented material and moral progress. Similar to Socrates, Jesus Christ was also persecuted for his beliefs, which in Mill’s day were considered the moral backbone of English society. John Stuart Mill's complete and resolute dedication to the cause of freedom inspired this treatise, an enduring work through which the concept remains well known and studied. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. and respected by any free society. He deeply feared a future in which people lived their life based upon nothing but custom and habit. inflict its will and values on others. meant primarily protection from tyranny. Despite his utilitarian roots, Mill’s thoughts in On Liberty represent a love letter to spontaneity, individuality, and the robust importance of choosing one’s own path in life. However, Mill does note that there are some types of actions that views should be allowed to act on them without being made social Artificial punishments are acts of legal coercion while natural punishments consist of the unfavorable social opprobrium of certain conduct. But On Liberty is not merely a political text explaining the intricacies of how the state ought to act. Released shortly after his beloved wife, Harriet's death, On Liberty is Mill at his finest arguing for the principles he had espoused over his fifty years of life. Liberty of opinion is valuable for two main reasons. He concluded that the majority of the time in economic affairs laissez‐​faire was a preferable system. John Stuart Mill was born on May 20th, 1806, in London. But thought and expression do not compose the entirety of life. liberty can be divided into three types, each of which must be recognized One can scarcely mention On Liberty without discussing Harriet Taylor. Even benevolent governments interventions could end up being flawed and misguided. To this end, John was given an extremely rigorous education from a young age. John’s father, James Mill, was an ardent reformer and personal friend of Jeremy Bentham, the famous utilitarian philosopher. Pingback: Saints Should Always Be Judged Guilty Until They Are Proved Innocent: … At the age of 17, he had been arrested for distributing information on birth control. Since it is impossible to cover all of Mill’s conclusions effectively, I will focus upon the area most pertinent for classical liberals, the role of the state. Mill's believed that individual liberty should be … Mill argues that in the vast majority of cases we are afforded absolute liberty of thought and expression. different ways of living. Therefore Mill concludes we have reciprocal obligations to the state and society at large such as respecting others rights and paying our fair share in taxes to uphold justice. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was the precocious child of the Philosophical Radical and Benthamite James Mill. To what extent is this assertion true? Mill undertakes Mill rightly predicted that of all his writings On Liberty would be the most discussed. To this end Mill is wholly opposed to paternalism. Our beliefs are like muscles. True belief is holding correct beliefs; however, knowledge is holding beliefs because they are justified through rational argumentation. Instead, he wanted us all to engage with each other on how we ought to maximize our happiness through lively and critical discussion over how best to live our lives. This state Mill not only called for legal defenses of free speech but also for the promotion of individuality and widespread tolerance on a societal level. that does not hurt anyone. Chapter IV examines whether there are instances when society can 6/John Stuart Mill Chapter 1 Introductory The subject of this Essay is not the so-called Liberty of the Will, so unfortunately opposed to the misnamed doctrine of Philosophical Ne-cessity; but Civil, or Social Liberty: the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by … He explains that “it is now recognised, though not till after a long struggle, that both the cheapness and the good quality of commodities are most effectually provided for by leaving the producers and sellers perfectly free.” However, Mill does not ground the doctrine of laissez‐​faire in natural rights but its practical benefits. Mill defines dissent as the freedom of the individual democracy. James Mill was determined to mould John into a well‐​educated leader and an advocate of his reforming ideals. The work, published in 1859, applies Mill's ethical system of utilitarianism to society and the state. On Liberty is one of Mill’s most famous Cultivation of vital individuality is the spark that ignites societal progress because the more an individual develops his capacities, the more valuable he is to society. and protect society and all its members from harm. To curb social tyranny, we ought to celebrate the value of choice and the innumerable ways we can peacefully live our lives not only by experimenting but through critiquing and advising each other on how best to live. Note that Mill does not base his arguments for free speech on universal or natural rights. Mill’s states, “if all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind” (Mill, 1869). realm, when forces such as public opinion stifle individuality and Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. With the rise of democratic government came a new threat, what Alexis De Tocqueville described as “tyranny of the majority.” Mill believed that a new form of social tyranny was emerging, one that was in some ways worse than actual tyranny as it has “fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself.”. The state provides a degree of security and stability. Even if the vast majority of people in any given society agree on some issues, it does not justify silencing dissenters. Today any copy of On Liberty will bear the name of John Stuart Mill, but Mill himself described On Liberty as “more directly and literally our joint production than anything else which bears my name.” Harriet’s influence can also be felt in Mill’s work On the Subjection of Women, a foundational text for liberal feminism inspired by Harriet’s passionate advocacy of female equality. would harm others or be an outright nuisance. Mill explains that “human nature is not a machine to be built after a model, and set to do exactly the work prescribed for it, but a tree, which requires to grow and develop itself on all sides, according to the tendency of the inward forces which make it a living thing.” Since there is no one masterplan or method that guarantees a fully flourishing life, Mill believes that there must be “experiments of living.”, Mill despised and feared conformity. In it, he applies his views on the Utilitarian ethical theory to systems of society and governance. On Liberty, John Stuart Mill On Liberty is a philosophical work by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill, originally intended as a short essay. The only part of the conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. Published in 1859, John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty is one of the most celebrated defences of free speech ever written. Actions cannot be as free as that this progress culminates in the emergence of a system of representative It is within the context of this form of government that seen as servants of the people rather than masters. Even if politicians were benevolent and only wanted the best for their citizens, Mill was still sceptical about state intervention. since truth can easily become hidden in sources of prejudice and In John Stuart Mill’s essay, On Liberty, Mill argues that the cultivation of vital individuality is essential to the advancement of society. a divergent point of view. In modern terms, why should flat earthers, holocaust deniers, and climate change deniers be allowed to express their opinions? Mill wrote, “Over one’s mind and over one’s body the individual is sovereign.” Philosopher and statesman John Stuart Mill (1806-73) published On Liberty in 1859 as part of his theory of utilitarianism. But what about wholly false opinions? Citations of Mill marked by ‘CW volume number, page number’ refer to the Collected Works of John Stuart Mill, ed. more. THE time, it is to be hoped, is gone by when any defence would be necessary of the "liberty of the press" as one of the securities against corrupt or tyrannical government. rebellion. Non‐​intervention allows people to solve their problems and can be a “means to their own mental education.” Mill explains that the state’s “business is to enable each experimentalist to benefit by the experiments of others; instead of tolerating no experiments but its own.”. For example, if a person is drunk during the day at home, we ought not to bring the weight of the state upon him but we can voice our disapproval and even disassociate with this person. On Liberty depends on to hold and articulate unpopular views. In the penultimate chapter, “Of The Limits to the authority of society over the individual,” Mill discusses when state‐​sanctioned coercion is legitimate. There are many new challenges to Mill’s vision of a free world in the 21st century. Thus, the limitation of govern- Paul Meany is the Editor for Intellectual History at Lib​er​tar​i​an​ism​.org, a project of the Cato Institute. POST: THE SUBJECT of this Essay is not the so-called Liberty of the Will, so unfortunately opposed to the misnamed doctrine of Philosophical Necessity; but Civil, or Social Liberty: the nature and limits of the power which can … However, individual liberty must always If we simply hold onto our beliefs without passionately defending them, they will hold progressively less sway in our mind as they decay into a dead dogma. A System of Logic: Raciocinative and Inductive. Mill points out that a viewpoint’s popularity does It is a love letter to the individual virtues of intellectual curiosity, tolerance, and open‐​mindedness. We should all be keenly aware of our fallibility. Regardless of how this might be perceived today, John would later praise his father’s methods, writing, “If I have accomplished anything, I owe it, among other fortunate circumstances, to the fact that through the early training bestowed on me by my father, I started, I may fairly say, with an advantage of a quarter of a century over my contemporaries.” After his intense education, Mill began working in the East India Company, in which he would serve for 35 years. dead dogma. In "On Liberty" John Stuart Mill argued that liberty is not complete unless it is absolute. Given the heavy workload that James Mill imposed on his young son John, James Mill might come across to a modern reader as overly demanding. Published in 1859, John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty is one of the most celebrated defences of free speech ever written. Charities, cooperatives, and voluntary organizations develop individual’s sense of duty and empathy for others. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. On Liberty was intended to be a short essay, which Mill began writing in 1854 with Harriet’s help. Perhaps philosophy’s most famous defense of the freedom of speech was articulated by John Stuart Mill, who defended the ideal in his 1859 work, On Liberty. His writing covers a broad range of topics, including proto‐​feminist writers, Classical Greece and Rome’s influence on the American Founding, ancient Chinese Philosophy, tyrannicide, and the first argument for basic income. For Mill, “however true [the received opinion] may be, if it is not fully, frequently, and fearlessly discussed, it will be held as a dead dogma,not a living truth.” Mill makes a distinction between what he calls true belief and knowledge. In the final chapter, Mill discusses the practical applications of his two major principles, which are “that the individual is not accountable to society for his [self‐​regarding] actions” and “that [for] such actions as are prejudicial to the interests of others, the individual is accountable, and may be subjected to social or legal punishment.” Of all the chapters of On Liberty this one covers the broadest range of ideas, ranging from voluntary slavery, the selling of narcotics, suicide, divorce, and birth control. In chapter 2, “Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion,” Mill argues that silencing any opinion is wrong, even if the opinion is false, because knowledge arises only from the “collision [of truth] with error.” morally wrong. Therefore, Mill explains that “he who does anything because it is the custom makes no choice. This allows us not only to improve our own lives but those of our future descendants who will also benefit from our discoveries. In John Stuart Mill’s essay “On Liberty”, he explores the question of whether society has a right to suppress an individual’s expression and opinions. The pair quickly became good friends. However, when On Liberty was nearing completion in 1858, Harriet suddenly died, from which point onwards Mill made no further edits to the text, defining the work as a tribute to her memory. Language: English: LoC Class: JC: Political science: Political theory: Subject: Liberty Category: Text: EBook-No. Not only did John have to study a wide array of topics, but he was also charged with teaching his younger siblings what he had learned. Chapter II examines the question of whether one or more works and remains the one most read today. of liberty changed along with the role of rulers, who came to be In many of his[Pg xxii] speculationsJohn Stuart Mill forms a sort of connecting link between the doctrinesof the earlier English empirical school and those which we associatewith the name of Mr. Herbert Spencer. He gains no practice either in discerning or desiring what is best.”. He also distinguishes between natural and artificial punishments. Mill opens On Liberty by explaining the nature of liberty versus authority. Mill deals with three cases of free speech: one in which the suppressed opinion is true, one in which it is partly true, and, lastly, one in which it is wholly false. ideas or viewpoints, and the law must limit all actions whose implementation Like both his father and Jeremy Benthem, Mill was a utilitarian, which is the doctrine that actions are right or ethical when they promote the maximum happiness for the majority of people. We may be able to attempt to convince others that their self‐​regarding conduct is harmful or unwise by offering “considerations to aid his judgment [and] exhortations to strengthen his will.” But ultimately, the individual is the final judge. of behavior or action that harms others, and in such cases it is the He had felt firsthand the judgmentalism of Victorian England. It is challenging to quantify Harriet’s influence on Mill, but if we take Mill’s word, Harriet’s discussions and scrutiny were formative in shaping Mill’s philosophy. In particular, Mill links liberty to the ability to progress and to avoid social stagnation. However, he does However, any other‐​regarding action may be subject to the laws and regulations of society. It is a love letter to the individual virtues of intellectual curiosity, tolerance, and open‐​mindedness. John Stuart Mill (1859) CHAPTER II OF THE LIBERTY OF THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION. Simply put, the greatest happiness for the greatest number. John Stuart Mill: Autobiography (1873) On Liberty by John Stuart Mill is available from Penguin (£4.99). By continually challenging our beliefs, we strengthen them further. Discussed and debated from time immemorial, the concept of personal liberty went without codification until the 1859 publication of "On Liberty." Mill feared the growth of a state in which “everything is done through the bureaucracy.” He feared bureaucracy because in a bureaucracy “nothing to which the bureaucracy is really adverse can be done at all.” Mill cites China and Russia as examples of extreme bureaucratic states which curtailed liberty. thought and opinion. It is not to be used lightly; it must only be used to prevent the most egregious and apparent harms. John M. Robson, 323 vols (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1963–91). John Stuart Mill, one of the foremost nineteenth-century spokesmen for liberalism, advocated Utilitarianism in ethics, i.e., the view that we should each act so as to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Mill believed that “when the thing to be done is likely to be better done by individuals than by the government,” non‐​intervention is the best policy. Mill feared “the great evil of adding unnecessarily to [government] power.” People are self‐​interested, and this does not magically change when they are in positions of power, as they will use their positions to benefit themselves. Second, a person is answerable for any type Mill was an adamant utilitarian, which is reflected in how he advocates for individual liberty as a means of being more useful in On Liberty. Utilitarianism can, at times, have a shaky relationship with the concept of natural or innate rights. Here, society itself becomes the tyrant by seeking to From the Introduction In his Autobiography, Mill predicts that the essay On Liberty is "likely to survive longer than anything else that I have written." However, Harriet’s husband, John Taylor, disapproved of their friendship and demanded that Harriet break off their friendship. He learned Greek at the age of three, Latin at eight, and read Plato’s dialogues in the original language before his tenth birthday. 2 THOUGHTS ON “ John Stuart Mill on Liberty of Thought and Discussion ” Pingback: Individual Liberty and Social Control: John Stuart Mill on the Fine Balance – Thought Pecking. on history and the state. a democratic majority forces its will on the minority. pursuits, or the freedom to plan our own lives. The second type is the liberty of tastes and Mill was a keen advocate of progress. On Liberty. Mill met Harriet in 1831 at a dinner party. Mill attempts to establish standards for the relationship between authority and liberty. It is a small yet dense essay with many questions about how a free society ought to treat its citizens. a historical review of the concept of liberty, beginning with ancient As he explains, “Genius can only breathe freely in an atmosphere of freedom.” Mill’s arguments for individuality also have a personal tinge to them. ON LIBERTY by John Stuart Mill (1859) CHAPTER V APPLICATIONS. In brief, society No person no matter how intelligent is wholly infallible and, for Mill, “All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.” Therefore, no person has the right to silence others. So ‘the people’ may desire to oppress some of their number; and precautions are as much needed against this as against any other abuse of power. As previously mentioned, Mill believes that “trade is a social act,” which means that society has a legitimate interest in regulating certain aspects of selling. Mill explains that not all harmful or immoral activity ought to be punished by legal coercion. Don't have a Kindle? In the past, liberty one person succeeds in business more than his rival. One affects only the agent while the other affects the agent and other people. legitimately limit individual liberty. Chapter III discusses whether people who hold unpopular Political tyranny ought to be limited by a general acceptance of laissez‐​faire policies and careful application of the harm principle. According to Mill, legal coercion is society’s most profound disapproval of specifically egregious actions. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism , he contributed widely to social theory , political theory , … He believes allowing for individuality and choice creates an industrious and creative environment in which progress is unimpeded. JamesMill, a Scotsman, had been educated at EdinburghUniversity—taught by, amongst others, Dugald Stewart—andhad moved to London in 1802, where he was to become a friend andprominent ally of Jeremy Bentham and the Philosophical Radicals.John’s remarkable education, famously recounted in hisAutobiography, was conducted with the intention of equippinghim for leaders… In critical ones, positive creeds lose their sway without other beliefs emerging to take their place. Mill accepted Comte's division of universal history into three His essay tries to show the positive effects of liberty on all people and on society as a whole. At best, this new tyranny could lead to conformity; at worst it stifled the originality and intellectual vigor needed for progress. The annals of history repeat this lesson constantly, which is why we should always be hesitant to suppress dissenting or differing views, even on the most fundamental questions of life. At this point in the text, Mill has already outlined the principle which he wishes to defend, the harm principle. Mill envisions the growth and development of liberty. certainly harm others but bring a larger benefit to society, as when to behave in a certain way, and each member of society must defend while asking for certain forms of obligations. Mill argues that any such activity is ― John Stuart Mill, On Liberty. Plot Summary. individuals are not accountable to society for behavior and actions If he were alive today, Mill would likely approve of health warnings being placed on cigarette packs, but would never advocate for an outright prohibition on cigarettes. Flemming Rose, Aaron Ross Powell, and Trevor Burrus, Karl Hess, Robert Anton Wilson, and Caleb O. But while this is true, this praise does not capture the colossal scope of this small but potent essay. JOHN STUART MILL: ON LIBERTY AND HISTORY 571 temporary exceptions, one of improvement; a tendency towards a better and happier state." On Liberty John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill explains “The subject of this Essay is not the so-called Liberty of the Will, so unfortunately opposed to the misnamed doctrine of Philosophical Necessity; but Civil, or Social Liberty: the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual.” and recognize that society can offer certain forms of protection must be given power to curtail behavior that harms others, but no He states that human Mill thought Harriet his intellectual equal and treated her as such. Mill, John Stuart, 1806-1873: Title: On Liberty Contents: Introductory -- Of the liberty of thought and discussion -- Of individuality, as one of the elements of well-being -- Of the limits to the authority of society over the individual -- Applications. We also need to make choices and interact with others. Mill explains that “mankind can hardly be too often reminded, that there was once a man named Socrates.” The ancient philosopher Socrates, famous for his Socratic method argument, was put to death by an Athenian jury on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth. beings are fallible, and therefore they need to experiment with be set on society’s power over each individual. First, John Stuart Mill was a prolific and well-regarded author and philosopher in his day, but perhaps his most enduring work is On Liberty, an essay developed over several years and with significant input from his wife. What about an opinion which is neither wholly true nor wholly false? of the social contract, in which people agree to be a part of society But as before with freedom of speech, Mill does not base his arguments in the inherent value of choice or individuality. Each of these freedoms negates society’s While Mill and Harriet’s relationship was solely platonic at this time, they married in 1851, two years after the death of John Taylor. suggest that because society offers protection, people are obliged In the realm of self‐​regarding acts, Mill believes that “there should be perfect freedom” from coercion.