
On Liberty
'On Liberty' Summary
John Stuart Mill opens his essay by discussing the historical "struggle between authority and liberty," describing the tyranny of government, which, in his view, needs to be controlled by the liberty of the citizens. He divides this control of authority into two mechanisms: necessary rights belonging to citizens, and the "establishment of constitutional checks by which the consent of the community, or of a body of some sort, supposed to represent its interests, was made a necessary condition to some of the more important acts of the governing power." Because society was—in its early stages—subjected to such turbulent conditions (i.e. small population and constant war), it was forced to accept rule "by a master." However, as mankind progressed, it became conceivable for the people to rule themselves. Mill admits that this new form of society seemed immune to tyranny because "there was no fear of tyrannizing over self." Despite the high hopes of the Enlightenment, Mill argues that the democratic ideals were not as easily met as expected. First, even in democracy, the rulers were not always the same sort of people as the ruled. Second, there is a risk of a "tyranny of the majority" in which the many oppress the few who, according to democratic ideals, have just as much a right to pursue their legitimate ends.
In Mill's view, tyranny of the majority is worse than tyranny of government because it is not limited to a political function. Where one can be protected from a tyrant, it is much harder to be protected "against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling." The prevailing opinions within society will be the basis of all rules of conduct within society; thus there can be no safeguard in law against the tyranny of the majority. Mill's proof goes as follows: the majority opinion may not be the correct opinion. The only justification for a person's preference for a particular moral belief is that it is that person's preference. On a particular issue, people will align themselves either for or against that issue; the side of greatest volume will prevail, but is not necessarily correct. In conclusion to this analysis of past governments, Mill proposes a single standard for which a person's liberty may be restricted:
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 ... Over himself, over his body and mind, the individual is sovereign.
Mill clarifies that this standard is solely based on utility, not on natural rights. According to Mill, children and "barbarian" nations are benefited by limited freedom. Just despots, such as Charlemagne and Akbar the Great, were historically beneficial to people not yet fit to rule themselves.
- S. Mill concludes the Introduction by discussing what he claimed were the three basic liberties in order of importance:
- The freedom of thought and emotion. This includes the freedom to act on such thought, i.e. freedom of speech
- The freedom to pursue tastes (provided they do no harm to others), even if they are deemed "immoral"
- The freedom to unite so long as the involved members are of age, the involved members are not forced, and no harm is done to others
While Mill admits that these freedoms could—in certain situations—be pushed aside, he claims that in contemporary and civilised societies there is no justification for their removal.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1859Authors

John Stuart Mill
England
John Stuart Mill usually cited as J. S. Mill, was an English philosopher, political economist, Member of Parliament, and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical...
Books by John Stuart MillDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Zapiski iz podpolya (Notes from the Underground) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky is a sophisticated novell with extremely hard to comprehend philosophical ideas lying on the border of par...

The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Volume 12 - Miscellany by Robert Ingersoll
Step into the intellectual battleground of the late 19th century with "The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Volume 12 - Miscellany." In this intriguing c...

Channel Passage by Rupert Brooke
"Channel Passage" by Rupert Brooke is a poignant and thought-provoking collection of war poetry. The poems explore the complexities of human emotion,...

Anatomy of Melancholy Volume 3 by Robert Burton
The Anatomy of Melancholy is a unique and multifaceted work that explores the nature of human emotion and thought through the lens of melancholia. Dra...

Sun Shadows by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Sun Shadows is a collection of poems by Ella Wheeler Wilcox that explores themes of love, loss, life, and the beauty of the natural world. Wilcox's wo...

Anarchy by Errico Malatesta
This book presents a comprehensive analysis of anarchism, a political philosophy that advocates for the abolition of all forms of government and the e...

Großinquisitor by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Grand Inquisitor is a story within a story, told by the character Ivan Karamazov in the novel The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It is a...

Anton Tchekhov: and other essays by Lev Shestov
In "Anton Tchekhov and Other Essays" by Lev Shestov, journey into the enigmatic depths of the human psyche and explore the boundless complexities of l...

Kokoro: Hints and Echoes of Japanese Inner Life by Lafcadio Hearn
"The papers composing this volume treat of the inner rather than of the outer life of Japan, for which reason they have been grouped under the title K...

طبائع الاستبداد ومصارع الاستعباد (Tabai al-Istibdad wa-Masari al-Isti’bad) by Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi
“Tabai al-Istibdad wa-Masari al-Isti’bad” (The Nature of Tyranny and the Paths of Enslavement) by Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi is a profound treatise on...
Reviews for On Liberty
No reviews posted or approved, yet...