John Stuart Mill: Autobiography, Essay On Liberty

by John Stuart Mill

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Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

478 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2009

About the author

John Stuart Mill, English philosopher, political economist, civil servant and Member of Parliament, was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century. He was an exponent of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham, although his conception of it was very different from Bentham's.

Reviews

[Steven H]

THE MOST FAMOUS AND INFLUENTIAL ESSAY OF THE FAMED BRITISH UTILITARIAN PHILOSOPHER
[NOTE: This review is only of "On Liberty," not Mill's autobiography.]

John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was a British philosopher (known as a Utilitarian), political economist and member of Parliament.

He states, "The object of this essay is to assert one very simple principle as entitled to govern absolutely the dealings of society with the individual in the way of compulsion and control... That principle is that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number is self-protection, that the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant.

" He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinion of others, to do so would be wise, or even right. There are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him or visiting him with any evil in case he do otherwise. To justify that, the conduct from which it is desired to deter him must be calculated to produce evil to someone else. The only part of the conduct of anyone, for which he is amenable to society is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign." (Ch. I)

He further explains, "the appropriate region of human liberty... comprises, first, the inward domain of consciousness, demanding liberty of conscience in the most comprehensive sense: liberty of thought and feeling; absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment on all subjects... Secondly, the principle requires liberty of tastes and pursuits... Thirdly... follows the liberty ... of combination among individuals: freedom to unite for any purpose not involving harm to others---the persons combining being supposed to be of full age and not forced or deceived." (Ch. I)

He argues, "If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary 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... the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that is it robbing the human race: posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion still more than those who hold to it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth; if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error." (Ch. II)

But he also admits that it is different with regard to "the weaker members" of society: "Society has had absolute power over them during all the early portion of their existence: it has had the whole period of childhood and nonage in which to try whether it could make them capable of rational conduct in life. The existing generation is master both of the training and the entire circumstances of the generation to come; it cannot, indeed, make them perfectly wise and good... but it is perfectly well able to make the rising generation, as a whole, as good as, and a little better than, itself. If society lets any considerable number of its members grow up mere children... society has itself to blame for the consequences." (Ch. IV)

John Stuart Mill's writings are some of the most important of 19th century philosophy, and---particularly when compared to other 19th century figures such as Hegel, and Kierkegaard---most of his writings still seem pertinent and "contemporary." This is an excellent introduction to him, for those who haven't yet encountered him.

[Jeremiah Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

the wording made it hard to keep up with but interesting nonetheless