On Liberty, Issue 57From 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. |
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On liberty suona meglio del titolo italiano "Saggio sulla libertà"
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A fantastic and masterful work that is still remarkably relevant today. Most people know that freedom of expression is important, but most of us have forgotten why. Mill in On Liberty sets out in clear and concise terms the reasons why the freedoms of expression and action are needed and warranted.
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Popular passages
Page 8 - The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.
Page 18 - LIBRARY EDITION, with all the Original Illustrations, Maps, Landscapes on Steel, Woodcuts, &c. 2 vols. 4to. 48s. INTERMEDIATE EDITION, with a Selection of Maps, Plates, and Woodcuts. 2 vols. square crown 8vo. 21s. STUDENT'S EDITION, revised and condensed, with 46 Illustrations and Maps.
Page 6 - 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.
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Page 6 - These 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.
Page 37 - If acquiesced in, it dulls and blunts the whole nature. To give any fair play to the nature of each, it is essential that different persons should be allowed to lead different lives. In proportion as this latitude has been exercised in any age, has that age been noteworthy to posterity. Even despotism does not produce its worst effects, so long as individuality exists under it ; and whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called, and whether it professes to be enforcing...
Page 6 - It is, perhaps, hardly necessary to say that this doctrine is meant to apply only to human beings in the maturity of their faculties. We are not speaking of children, or of young persons below the age which the law may fix as that of manhood or womanhood.
Page 7 - ... so long as what we do does not harm them, even though they should think our conduct foolish, perverse, or wrong. Thirdly, from this liberty of each individual, follows the liberty, within the same limits, 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.
Bibliographic information
| Title | On Liberty, Issue 57 On Liberty, John Stuart Mill Social theory |
| Author | John Stuart Mill |
| Edition | 3, large print |
| Publisher | Longmans, Green, and Company, 1865 |
| Original from | Oxford University |
| Digitized | 9 Aug 2007 |
| Length | 68 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |