On Liberty
John Stuart Mill
Jan 1863 · Ticknor and Fields
3.9star
98 reviewsreport
Ebook
223
Pages
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About this ebook
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." He goes on to say that the essay is the expression of a "single truth: " "the importance, to man and society, of a large variety of types of character, and of giving full freedom to human nature to expand itself in innumerable and conflicting directions." In the essay itself, Mill defines his subject as "the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual." He defends the absolute freedom of individuals to engage in conduct not harmful to others, and the near-absolute freedom to express and discuss opinions of all kinds. Mill's essay survives, as he had predicted, because his powerful message is still widely rejected by the powerful, and by those who continue to seek power over the lives of others.
Ratings and reviews
3.9
98 reviews
edgly28
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August 27, 2014
Does an individual have the right to think and act for themselves; or does Society and Institutions have the right to act in what is believed (by themselves) to be “in the best interest” of their subjects, and thereby necessarily constrain the rights and liberties of the individual? Where is the balance struck between the rights and liberties of the individual and the rights and liberties of the Society and Institutions? Too much Individual equals Anarchy; too much Society/Institutions equals Totalitarianism. Mr. Mill makes the case for freedom of expression and the open discussion of ideas as the foundation of keeping the balance of liberties. Accepting for discussion any and all opposing positions is the marker of a people seeking truth and understanding. Deferring to dogma deprives an individual of responsibility for their beliefs and actions. If you want to better understand how to develop a healthier relationship between individuals and their societies, give this book some time. It was written in 1859, so the style and presentation was, at times, difficult to read. But the content is definitely worth the struggle.
3 people found this review helpful
Samuel Anders (Sam Anders)
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April 27, 2020
Good book for anyone interested in philosophy or politics.
About the author
John Stuart Mill, Classical economist, was born in 1806. His father was the Ricardian economist, James Mill. John Stuart Mill's writings on economics and philosophy were prodigious. His "Principles of Political Economy, With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy," published in 1848, was the leading economics textbook of the English-speaking world during the second half of the 19th century. Some of Mill's other works include "Considerations on Representative Government," "Auguste Comte and Positivism," "The Subjection of Women," and "Three Essays on Religion." John Mill died in 1873.
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