 | This article possibly contains original research. (September 2012) |
.jpg) The title page of the first edition, published 1859 | |
| Author | John Stuart Mill |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Liberty |
Publication date | 1859 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | |
| 323.44 | |
| LC Class | JC585 |
| Text | On Liberty at Wikisource |
On Liberty is an essay published in 1859 by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill. It applied Mill's ethical system of utilitarianism to society and state.[1][2] Mill suggested standards for the relationship between authority and liberty. He emphasized the importance of individuality, which he considered a prerequisite to the higher pleasures—the summum bonum of utilitarianism. Furthermore, Mill asserted that democratic ideals may result in the tyranny of the majority. Among the standards proposed are Mill's three basic liberties of individuals, his three legitimate objections to government intervention, and his two maxims regarding the relationship of the individual to society.
On Liberty was a greatly influential and well-received work. Some classical liberals and libertarians have criticized it for its apparent discontinuity[specify] with Utilitarianism, and vagueness in defining the arena within which individuals can contest government infringements on their personal freedom of action.[3] The ideas presented in On Liberty have remained the basis of much political thought. It has remained in print since its initial publication. A copy of On Liberty is passed to the president of the British Liberal Democrats as a symbol of office.[4]
Mill's marriage to Harriet Taylor Mill greatly influenced the concepts in On Liberty, which was published shortly after she died.
- ^ Mill, John Stuart (1860). On Liberty (2 ed.). London: John W.Parker & Son. ISBN 9781499238341.
- ^ Mill, John Stuart (1864). On Liberty (3 ed.). London: Longman, Green, Longman Roberts & Green.
- ^ Ebeling, Richard (1 June 2001). "John Stuart Mill and the Three Dangers to Liberty". The Future of Freedom Foundation. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
Classical liberals and libertarians have often pointed out that a weak link in Mill's argument is the vagueness or inconsistency in how he defines the arena within which the individual may claim protection from political infringements on his individual freedom of action.
- ^ Books, Five. "On Liberty | Five Books Expert Reviews". Five Books. Retrieved 18 May 2019.