Books
Thalassa Editions
On Liberty
John Stuart Mill
Liberalism · Beginner
The classic liberal argument for free expression and the limits of majority power.
John Stuart Mill · first circulated 1859
Main ideas
- Liberty limited only by harm to others.
- Dissent defended as a condition of truth-seeking.
Important themes
FreedomIndividualityTolerance
Reading context
Published in 1859 and shaped by Harriet Taylor Mill, it defends a single principle: power may be used against a member of a civilised community only to prevent harm to others. The threat Mill fears most is not the state but public opinion.
How to approach it
Chapter 2, on freedom of thought and discussion, is the enduring one. Chapter 4 draws the line between self-regarding and other-regarding acts, which is where most disagreements start.