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الحرية

John Stuart Mill,

طه السباعي (ترجمة)

3.97 · Rating details · 30,092 ratings · 995 reviews

هذا الكتاب أشهر من أن يعرف به، فقد انتشر في كل البلاد وبكل اللغات. وهو يعد بحق دستور الحرية الأعظم

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Paperback, الطبعة الأولى, 223 pages

Published 2019 by آفاق للنشر والتوزيع (first published April 1859)

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Aug 25, 2008 Stephen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics-european, easton-press, all-time-favorites, 6-star-books, life-changers, polly-sighs-and-pubic-policy, 1800s

WARNING: Some of my political views are discussed in this VERY LONG review. I don't think there is anything offensive but with politics, you never know. Therefore, in case anything I say upsets anyone, I have included several very CUTE kitten photos by way of apology.

6.0 stars. On Liberty has secured a spot on my list of “All Time Favorite” books. I have gone through a pretty significant political re-examination over the last several years (maybe a lot of us have). A few years ago, if you were ...more

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Jun 10, 2019 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy, economic, essay, non-fiction, political, 19th-century, historical, classics, science, british

On Liberty, John Stuart Mill

On Liberty is a philosophical work by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill, originally intended as a short essay. The work, published in 1859, applies Mill's ethical system of utilitarianism to society and the state. Mill attempts to establish standards for the relationship between authority and liberty.

He emphasizes the importance of individuality, which he conceived as a prerequisite to the higher pleasures—the summum bonum (The highest good) of utilitarianism On Liberty, John Stuart Mill

On Liberty is a philosophical work by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill, originally intended as a short essay. The work, published in 1859, applies Mill's ethical system of utilitarianism to society and the state. Mill attempts to establish standards for the relationship between authority and liberty.

He emphasizes the importance of individuality, which he conceived as a prerequisite to the higher pleasures—the summum bonum (The highest good) of utilitarianism. Furthermore, Mill criticizes the errors of past attempts to defend individuality where, for example, democratic ideals resulted in the "tyranny of the majority".

Among the standards established in this work 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.

عنوانها: «رساله در باره آزادی»؛ «تاملاتی در حکومت انتخابی»؛ «آزادی»؛ نویسنده: جان استوارت میل؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: سال 1970 میلادی

عنوان: رساله در باره آزادی؛ نویسنده: جان استوارت میل؛ مترجم محمدجواد شیخ الاسلامی؛ تهران، بنگاه ترجمه و نشر کتاب، 1338، چاپ دیگر 1348؛ در 269ص؛ 1349، در 306ص؛ عنوان دیگر تاملاتی در حکومت انتخابی؛ عنوان دیگر آزادی، نشر سال 1340؛ چاپ دیگر تهران، علمی فرهنگی، 1363؛ چاپ دیگر 1375، در 416 ص؛ شابک: 9644450094؛ چاپ دیگر 1385؛ موضوع: آزادی از نویسندگان انگلیسی - سده 19م

درباره ی آزادی؛ رساله‌ ای فلسفی، نوشته فیلسوف بریتانیایی، «جان استوارت میل»، در سال 1859میلادی است؛ این رساله برای خوانشگران دوره ی ویکتوریایی، درون‌مایه‌ ای تندورانه داشت، زیرا از اخلاق فردی پشتیبانی کرده، و بر رهایی اقتصادی از دولت تأکید می‌کند؛ در این رساله، «جان استوارت میل»، یکی از پیچیده‌ ترین مفاهیم فلسفی، یعنی «آزادی» را، مورد پژوهش قرار داده، و کوشیده‌ است «حدود آزادی فردی»، و اصول آن را روشنتر سازد، و رابطه ی آنرا با قدرت و سلطه ی اجتماع، نشان دهد؛ مدل «جان استوارت میل» از مردم‌سالاری، یک مدل اخلاقی، در میان مدل‌های «دموکراسی لیبرال» است، که بر شکوفایی انسان تأکید دارد؛

ایشان در رساله ی «دربارهٔ آزادی»، که یکی از آثار نام آشنای ایشانست، ضمن دفاع از آزادی، علیه دو خطر، می‌گویند: «…، اگر ما افراد جامعه را آزاد بگذاریم، که زندگانی خود را به هر نحوی که دل‌شان خواست ترتیب بدهند، و در همان حال از آن‌ها بخواهیم که ذوق و سلیقه ی انفرادی همدیگر را تحمل کنند (نه اینکه همدیگر را مجبور سازند که مطابق میل و سلیقه دیگران زندگانی کنند)، در آن صورت برای ساختن دنیایی همکاری کرده‌ ایم، که زندگانی بشر در آن، با سود و سعادت راستین، شدنی است …؛ امروز تقریباً هیچ نیازی به توضیح یا اثبات این نظر نیست، که ما نباید به یک هیئت مقننه یا مجریه، که منافعش با منافع همگان یکی نیست، اجازه دهیم، که برای افراد جامعه باور خود را تجویز کنند، یا اینکه تصمیم بگیرند که چه نوع نظرات و دلایل باید به گوش مردمان برسد…؛ دوران زجر و کیفر دادن به نویسندگان، و ناشران، به جرم مطالبی که نوشته، و باورهایی که پخش کرده‌ اند به پایان رسیده‌ است.»؛ پایان نقل

تاریخ نخستین خوانش 12/04/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی ...more

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Jun 01, 2017 notgettingenough rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: sociology, pre20th-century

Anybody interested in free speech must surely be concerned with the situation of Bret Weinstein in the US. See for instance his hour interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fEAP...

One can only be deeply ashamed that non-conservative media has (I understand) all but ignored this story. Curious to have a statement of why this is so, I've written to NPR to find out why they have not reported one word on it. I am waiting for a response.

Meanwhile, John Stuart Mill's words to remind us of wha ...more

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Dec 08, 2018 Ian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: society, philosophy, 5-star-non-fiction, classics

Written in the 1850s, parts of this classic text are a little dated, but mostly it remains surprisingly relevant to the modern world. Probably it’s most famous for its second chapter, where Mill gives an impassioned defence of free speech. It’s noticeable that he sees social pressure as a more insidious threat to free speech than government legislation. How relevant is the quote below to the modern phenomenon of the social media mob?

“…there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevai Written in the 1850s, parts of this classic text are a little dated, but mostly it remains surprisingly relevant to the modern world. Probably it’s most famous for its second chapter, where Mill gives an impassioned defence of free speech. It’s noticeable that he sees social pressure as a more insidious threat to free speech than government legislation. How relevant is the quote below to the modern phenomenon of the social media mob?

“…there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling; against the tendency of society to impose, by means other than civil penalties, its own ideas and practices as rules of conduct on those who dissent from them…”

The free speech chapter is the best argued part of the book, and it’s beyond my ability to summarise it accurately in a review. Perhaps for me the most persuasive argument, was that anyone who refuses to allow another’s opinion to be voiced does so because they assume their own certainty represents absolute certainty, therefore:

“All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.”

In the third chapter, on individuality, Mill once again reveals his strong aversion to conformity, and he condemns the tendency of people to comply with social expectations rather than follow their own nature. In this chapter he raises what later became known as the Needham Question – why was it that China, once so powerful, had become so weak? Mill thought the decline was caused by an over rigid enforcement of custom:

“A people, it appears, may be progressive for a certain length of time, and then stop: when does it stop? When it ceases to possess individuality.”

I found this a little tendentious, but overall the chapter still has much to commend it.

In Chapter IV, Mill considers the proper limits of government power. He had a deep suspicion of government, something he shared with most educated Britons of his era. In the book he strongly opposes government interference with trade and industry, beyond basic requirements such as preventing fraud or maintaining hygiene. He also opposes the idea, commonly accepted in Europe today, that governments should intervene to protect people from themselves. For Mill, if someone wanted to drink or gamble to excess, or smoke opium; that was their business. Governments and charities could attempt to educate people into taking a different path but could not compel them to do so. He does however argue for compulsory schooling of children, which was not in place at the time.

In modern terms libertarianism is probably the philosophy that best matches Mill’s classic liberalism, and that philosophy is better preserved in the United States than in Mill’s native England. A supremely eloquent essay though. I’ve probably marked more highlights in this book than any other I’ve read.

...more

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Jan 13, 2015 Jonfaith rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: theory

Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character has abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage which it contained.

It would be pretentious to suggest I dedicated my reading to Ahmed Merabet, yet it would be untrue to exclaim otherwise. We've drowned in debate about liberty this last week. Somehow I regard that as most encouraging. I found Mill’s treatise riveting and incisive ...more

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Dec 20, 2020 Numidica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Dense, but well written, and of course, it is a classic discourse on individual liberty and it's relationship to governmental power. ...more

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Mar 29, 2019 T rated it liked it · review of another edition

A fundamental text in the Philosophical canon, but we still mustn't overlook the overt imperialism, naivety and intellectualism which seeps throughout these pages... ...more

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Jul 03, 2013 Rosie Nguyễn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The book is so great that whenever being asked about it, I'm just speechless, restless, wondering how to give the right word. It's not easy to read, and not easy to make a review. I keep delaying to note my thoughts about it, partly afraid I'm not good enough to comment on such a masterpiece. Yet I try, for my own record, for my later review on this review, and for the future reflection.

On Liberty is an excellent work on human rights and individual's relationship with society. What scores here i ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 Valdimar rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: politics, philosophy

MILL: the only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way...
ME: Yes. Good
MILL: ...so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it...
ME: Great. Go on. keep em comin
MILL: ..therefore Neoliberalism
ME: No

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Nov 27, 2014 A Man Called Ove rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

4.5/5 I was listening to an interview of Mr.Anupam Kher today on a 'Newslaundry' podcast. The interviewer was questioning him persistently on why he supports restrictions on freedom-of-expression ? I think Mr.Kher (I am a semi-fan of his), gave a number of arguments which were moral and not legal, niceties and not crimes, and failed to distinguish between the 2. This makes me wonder whether even those who suppose themselves to be liberals truly understand the basic reasons behind freedom-of-expr 4.5/5 I was listening to an interview of Mr.Anupam Kher today on a 'Newslaundry' podcast. The interviewer was questioning him persistently on why he supports restrictions on freedom-of-expression ? I think Mr.Kher (I am a semi-fan of his), gave a number of arguments which were moral and not legal, niceties and not crimes, and failed to distinguish between the 2. This makes me wonder whether even those who suppose themselves to be liberals truly understand the basic reasons behind freedom-of-expression. Speaking of myself, I too dont understand it completely, failing to see what is incitement of violence and what is permissible speech sometimes.
My own thought-process, starting from the point in my early 20s, where I felt that it was an 'elitist' notion, an abstract notion with no benefits to society, when I felt that perhaps MF Hussain deserved some of it. Today, I merely and validly question why he didnt draw his own religion's symbols too ? I would stand by him and condemn those vandalisms/physical attacks on him today.
Freedom-of-expression remained elitist unfortunately even in Ayn Rand's individualism, earning it the scorn of many. Orwell outlined extreme situations and continued to be something impractical and far-off. There are books that rightly talk of it being the root of prosperity but they too provide a partial picture.
In this 150 page book, John Stuart Mill, lays down comprehensive arguments on why freedom-of-expression and liberty is of utmost value, necessity, practical use to the common man. He explores and answers every objection that I have heard so far which is fantastic 160 years after the book was published and shall be so till the end of time. This book should be compulsory reading in schools and colleges.
0.5 has been deducted because the language was tough and dry. A bit like I sometimes read on legal documents. Wish someone writes a lucid version filled with contemporary examples around the world, since it is one of the most important books ever written and few of the most important thoughts ever expressed. Wish it had a little more on economic liberalism. ...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Capsguy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: british-irish

It's amazing how it appears as if the older the work, the more relevant it is to today. Sure, this is anything but 'old' in comparison to Socrates and other writers, but this over 150 year old document still serves well today, definitely worth the few hours reading and I recommend it to everyone.

It is logically structured and written with ease of reading and understanding without the sacrifice of the quality of his argument.

As mentioned by Mill, he's not necessarily bringing anything new to the ...more

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Feb 01, 2009 Rosianna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Not that I agree entirely with Mill's ideas about the structures and general functions of the individual and society, but this was a fascinating insight into the society I live in now, and how I regard my own place in society, if I have one. Most interesting were his points about freedom of expression, and his ability to move from our justifications for freedom of expression to freedom of tastes and pursuits without even flinching. Definitely worth a read, whatever your political persuasion. ...more

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Dec 20, 2009 DJ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book is a classic. Giving due credit, I must acknowledge Prof. Keith Eubanks for inadvertently turning me on to Mill. I think Eubanks once quoted Mill, perhaps in his course syllabus, and I found the quote (something about expecting more from students, and how they will perform to these higher standards given the expecatation and opportunity) intriguing.

Anyway, if you're interested in learning where I get a lot of my thoughts on being an individual, read this book (or read essays/books by ...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Patrick Peterson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: clssics, political

I read this in college in the 70s. I remember it very positively, except for his waffling on liberty in certain areas, such as allowing the state to provide education. That was a crack that statists drove a Mack truck through and further confused liberty lovers ever since. Too bad, since so much of the book is tightly logical and well written.

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Nov 22, 2016 Jon Nakapalau rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, classics, philosophy

A foundational work addressing representative democracy that continues to shape ideology today. After the 2016 Presidential Election I would strongly suggest both parties hold 'JSM focus groups' to try to reconnect with the American people. ...more

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May 16, 2014 Sean Gabb rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

During the libertarian rebirth of the past generation, it has become fashionable to sneer at the essay On Liberty. It is, I admit, a flawed work, and I will shortly try to explain why this is so. Before then, however, I will put a case for the defence - to show why, despite its flaws, the essay remains a valuable weapon in the libertarian arsenal, and will remain one when Rand and Nozick will chiefly be names found in histories of twentieth century thought.

Mill is at his very best in Chapter II, ...more

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Dec 08, 2014 Kyle van Oosterum rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

As the title of this essay suggests, we are dealing with the fundamental social force which when deficient, or when in excess, necessarily provokes chaos; Liberty. Meticulously undertaken, this essay presents the fiercest defence of individualism, captivating the reader with its endorsement of human excellence and self-government. Indeed, Mill's main antagonist is the democratisation of the masses, how we subdue ourselves to the tyranny of public opinion and passively accept mediocrity. Along th As the title of this essay suggests, we are dealing with the fundamental social force which when deficient, or when in excess, necessarily provokes chaos; Liberty. Meticulously undertaken, this essay presents the fiercest defence of individualism, captivating the reader with its endorsement of human excellence and self-government. Indeed, Mill's main antagonist is the democratisation of the masses, how we subdue ourselves to the tyranny of public opinion and passively accept mediocrity. Along the way, I couldn't help but feel this striking dissonance triggered by the notion that individuality is a double-edged sword, glistening with the promise of self-actualisation and ensconcing the egotistical neglect, which inevitably results in social elitism. Regardless, Mill's introductory remark is bound to strike your mind with its brevity and cogency:

"Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is SOVEREIGN." - J.S. Mill

Mill carefully, with no hindrance to his writing style, advances libertarian principles left and right, the most prevalent of which is now referred to as the 'Harm Principle.' The Harm Principle basically states the following: "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." It is hardly original, in fact most of us entertain this notion of Liberty consisting of doing whatever we wish without harming others, but Mill's discussion does not end there. The 19th Century did not really house an open society, which explains why Mill's arguments about the freedom of speech and thought might reek of platitudes to the modern reader, but to the contemporary reader, it smacked of anarchy. Mill poetically states that: "Silencing the expression of an opinion is robbing the human race." He defends this eloquently as such: "If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error."

He goes on to delineate the exact limits that authority/society should have over the individual and his objection is really that odds are that when society interferes, it interferes wrongly. At most, a government or authority may only advise or respectfully discourage an individual's behaviour, but never infringe upon their Liberty. Mill also encourages dissent and opposition because they promote human advancement and he laments the 'despotism of custom' dictating our actions and imposing upon the human race a fear of being different. Mill quickly adds: "That so few dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of our time!"

John Stuart Mill was really a trailblazer in philosophical thought, he endorsed universal education, suffrage, gender equality, freedom of speech, the right to divorce and the separation of church and state. Indeed, the Essay is dedicated heartwarmingly to his wife: "Were I but capable of interpreting to the world one half the great thoughts and noble feelings which are buried in her grave, I should be the medium of a greater benefit to it, than is ever likely to arise from anything that I can write, unprompted and unassisted by her all but unrivalled wisdom." The highest recommendation!
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Feb 09, 2015 Minh rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy, favorite

I FREAKING LOVE, ADORE, UPHOLD, CHERISH, ADMIRE, REVERE (and other synonyms) THIS GODDAMN AWESOME BOOOOOOOOK!!!!

If after gay marriage legalisation comes book marriage legalisation I would have considered "On Liberty" one of my top suitors ahahahha. Written in 1859 by John Stuart Mill, this philosophical work examines state authority and individualism, and it was so well written that Thomas Hardy once said "All 1860 undergraduates memorised this book by heart." My political view changes so much ...more

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Dec 09, 2017 Matty-Swytla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction-philosophy, classics-uk, non-fiction, audiobook-2017

AMAZING.

I think Mill's book, and especially his words on free speech, should be given to every student to read and reflect on. I couldn't agree more on the stifling effects of public pressure and blasphemy laws - every idea needs to be evaluated, dissected, and criticised, for it is only in this way that bad ones can be weeded out. People need to think for themselves, to explore, to contemplate, not be moulded into carbon copies of their teachers or relatives, conforming totaly to the majority, ...more

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Sep 12, 2017 Hannah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, read-for-class

I don't think Mill's ideas are perfect in every single situation, but he makes a convincing argument. In general, I agree with his ideas on the harm principle, individuality, and government. I just think that they break down when taken to the extremes of human behavior that we have seen in various court cases.
I took off a star because holy cow. He uses so many words. Too many words. He could benefit from a copy editor. This would have been easier to follow and made more sense if he had stopped ...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Valerie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Ian

Recommended to Valerie by: Stephen

Shelves: because-its-the-right-thing-to-do

I read Stephen's masterful review, and decided I should read this. As an ebook...but it will take me a while. Each densely packed sentence is easily a page long.

I finally finished this, but I think I'll be rereading it. I wonder what life would be like if I tried to run my classroom on these principles?

...more

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Apr 18, 2020 André rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, politics, nonfiction, philosophy

Liberty is an issue that concerns us all. It's in everyone's mouth but, frequently, most people prefer to demand it rather than thinking about it in-depth.
Mill's "On Liberty", published in 1859, is a powerful essay that highlights the liberty of an individual and the importance of Liberty from a social point of view. The author constitutes his work on five chapters: Introduction; Of the liberty of thought and discussion; On individuality as one of the elements of well-being; On the limits to th Liberty is an issue that concerns us all. It's in everyone's mouth but, frequently, most people prefer to demand it rather than thinking about it in-depth.
Mill's "On Liberty", published in 1859, is a powerful essay that highlights the liberty of an individual and the importance of Liberty from a social point of view. The author constitutes his work on five chapters: Introduction; Of the liberty of thought and discussion; On individuality as one of the elements of well-being; On the limits to the authority of society over the individual; Applications.

“If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”

Mill starts his essay by addressing the classic struggle between the individual and society. Individuals are compelled to live according to beliefs, customs and opinions. Consequently, that can restraint the liberty of choice of an individual (Tyranny of the majority). In Mill's perspective, the tyranny of the majority can be quite overwhelming to each one of us. For instance, if Governments have the power by force, criticism and judgment can be inflicted on individuals who act differently according to society's standards.
Liberty also has its limits. According to the author, there are some actions which affect directly ourselves and actions which directly affect others. Those actions which affect ourselves are based on personal decisions but with personal consequences. On the other hand, those actions which affect others are the border of our liberty.
If governments have the power to incarcerate people for harming others, Freedom of thought and expression should be unconstrained by the states. Mill claims that healthy disagreements, a new set of ideas, freedom of thought are crucial for society's progress. For that reason, free expression shouldn't be suppressed ("In suppressing an idea a society runs the risk that it is suppressing the truth").
Liberty of thought can contribute to the cultivation of individuality. The author affirms the importance of that cultivation as something essential for social progress. Accordingly, the "tyranny of the majority" can gain control over the individual ("In this age, the mere example of nonconformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service").
Mill claims that Liberty can be a misunderstanding issue with different challenges between the individual and a greater good.
The last chapter deals with the applications of all these principles in different subjects (Economy, Ethics, Sociology).

“The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.”

Mill's essay, though being a great source of inspiration regarding personal freedom, also presents some flaws and contradictions. For instance, If one individual decides to harm himself and has the liberty do it so, doesn't that go against the values of individual happiness? In theory, utility can be the answer. However, if life is a personal right, there may be a contradiction between individual rights and individual freedom.
Mill's principles appliance in Economy is another point that leaves some criticism. He states that Governments should not interfere. Realistically, nowadays, it's not possible. If that was the case we wouldn't have financial bailouts.
Overall, On Liberty is a hymn to free speech. Throughout our History, eccentric and genius personalities have changed our world. In a way or another, it is that type of unconformity that gets the best of ourselves. For instance, it's not a coincidence that the most exceptional artists were not conformed to society's standards. It's the bizarre and the unusual that fuelled the greatest work of arts. If we are responsible for our actions, then, everyone must emphasize his individuality.
At the end, it's our eccentric qualities that makes us thrive in difficult situations.

Rating: 4/5 stars ...more

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Apr 22, 2010 Adam rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1800-s, philosophy

An indisputably great work of philosophy. One, though, whose most valuable insights are too often ignored by today's left-liberals and one that is mentioned with astonishing frequency these days by people who seem to be actively opposed to much that Mill would have thought important--the set of "conservatives" who like to claim that they are "classical liberals," probably on the basis of a quick read through a Wikipedia page and some creepy Randian blogs.

Of course, Millian liberalism actually s An indisputably great work of philosophy. One, though, whose most valuable insights are too often ignored by today's left-liberals and one that is mentioned with astonishing frequency these days by people who seem to be actively opposed to much that Mill would have thought important--the set of "conservatives" who like to claim that they are "classical liberals," probably on the basis of a quick read through a Wikipedia page and some creepy Randian blogs.

Of course, Millian liberalism actually shares quite a significant number of characteristics of social liberalism, of welfare liberalism, etc. and in many ways it contains proto-social democratic positions.

There are two that occur to me as ways to account for the strange fate of the British liberal tradition and of thought inspired by Mill specifically, both of which seem valid to me.

One is to suggest that it is deeply worrying and borderline Orwellian that societies built on liberal principles have ignored one of Mill's central points: that a successful liberal culture and society is one that demands real work, real effort, serious engagement on the part of individuals. That it is one that demands diversity of opinion and specifically of learned opinion. Perhaps what we are seeing now is some dystopic world, a realization of what liberalism is doomed to when it keeps its institutions and formal arrangements but ignores the rest of its contents and the government policies that are necessary to produce a populace capable of being good liberals to begin with.

The other, and I am more partial to this way of accounting for the sorry state of things, is to point out--very reasonably, I think--that Mill's profoundly beautiful vision of personal autonomy and freedom extended to all is every bit as utopian and unrealistic a notion as immediate transition to fully automated luxury communism.

The biggest blind spot that Mill had was the same blind spot that other bourgie guys in the 19th century had: they failed to account for the coercive power of the merchant class because they were members of the merchant class. It is not true that Mill was some scheming sly bastard who only ever wanted people exactly like him to have the liberty he describes. His proto-socdem positions show that. But what Mill seems to have failed to realize was that the merchant class and its financialized successors would use its liberty (and make no mistake, that is the class of persons that Mill wants liberty for in any immediate sense) in ways that either intentionally or unintentionally undermine--for the remainder of humans--the very grounds for human flourishing that Mill so prized. The ability of the free human to live her life in a manner chosen by her, not by the state, not by the majority, not by family, not by the church: surely admirable, surely important. But what of influence and power and domination by the very merchant class that 18th and 19th century liberals empowered?

In short and despite how annoying many of the people who say things like this might be, Millian liberalism is insufficient because it creates the basis mostly for the flourishing and independence and creative freedom and meaningful liberty of people like John Stuart Mill.

There are also broader philosophical problems. Is the harm principle unable to account for harm outside of the atomized, small-scale picture according to which liberalism operates theoretically? That is to say: doesn't it fail to account for possible harms to things and persons that don't fit into the category of the liberal subject? Beyond that: if the behaviour of people collectively is beneficial to that group of people and not harmful to other proximate liberal subjects in any immediate sense but is deeply, even catastrophically, harmful to non-humans, to the environment, and to future generations of humans, does the harm principle have anything to offer to counter such destructive behaviour? Is it not insufficient as a restriction on liberty?

Not to say that we throw the baby out with the bathwater and return to fascism and stalinism; the 20th century (not to mention present currents of trumpism, putinism, islamism, etc) is proof enough of how undesirable the actively illiberal is. ...more

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Feb 09, 2018 Nina Kennett rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: anarcocapitalism

good pts, but i just cant even with the utilitarist arguments.
i owe nada to society, john.

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Sep 11, 2016 Sumirti Singaravel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: To everyone, especially to those who are young.

Shelves: favorites, super-favorites, 6-stars, lights-on-my-coast, to-review-soon, political-science, non-fiction, amazing-work, 2016, inspirations-for-life

Never have Liberty found such a passionate, clear, beautiful and eloquent defence. There are few books which has the capacity to instill the faith that written words can change the world, if they are done well, and this is one such book. This should remain as a source of greatest inspiration for all those who want to defend truth and guard their true-selves at all the times. Here is a man who rebels with grace, kindness, and consideration. A book to read to realize how much of freedom we enjoy t ...more

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Nov 10, 2007 Doc Opp rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a brilliant book. It should be required reading in every high school in America, and anybody who disagrees with the premises and arguments within should be subject to legal sanction. ;)

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Aug 04, 2017 Stephan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy

‘On liberty’ by John Stuart Mill is by far the best account I have ever read so far concerning the protection of individual rights. Mill is en exponent of liberty, not of democracy, because democracy is imperfect, whereas liberty is not. Liberty is perfect thus democracy should aspire towards liberty and not vice versa. Many people speak about democracy as if it was liberty, but it is not, and can never be. Democracy is a pragmatic system that attempts liberty. Mill mentions the greatest challen ...more

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Mar 13, 2011 Marts (Thinker) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: philosophy, politics-governance, essays, non-fiction, classics

John Stuart Mill's discourse on social liberties regarding the nature of power exercised over an individual within a society, an issues between civil liberty and authority...

I rather appreciate the closing statement of the work:

"A government cannot have too much of the kind of activity which does not impede, but aids and stimulates, individual exertion and development. The mischief begins when, instead of calling forth the activity and powers of individuals and bodies, it substitutes its own ac ...more

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Apr 17, 2018 Khari rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Huzzah! I have finished.

This book took me forever to read. Four months, can you believe that? I can't. A mere 187 pages taking 4 months?! Unbelievable.

I forgive myself somewhat though, because the diction of this book is incredibly dense. The ideas that he is talking about require thought and consideration, so I don't blame myself for taking so long.

I quite enjoyed the book. It's the first time I've read it, and so it was interesting to read the seminal document for the importance of the freedom ...more

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Feb 10, 2017 Daniel Wright rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: great-ideas, old-books, philosophy, classic-philosophy, victorian-era, politics-and-ir

This book is still well worth reading for its still-relevant defense of freedom of speech alone. Some of the later parts let it down slightly, especially on education. But the whole of this book is important for understanding the history behind how liberalism got to be how it is.

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"... the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community... is to prevent harm to others."	1	13	May 15, 2016 09:04AM

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About John Stuart Mill

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John Stuart Mill, English philosopher, political economist, civil servant and Member of Parliament, was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century. He was an exponent of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham, although his conception of it was very different from Bentham's. ...more

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“A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.” — 367 likes

“He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them. But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion... Nor is it enough that he should hear the opinions of adversaries from his own teachers, presented as they state them, and accompanied by what they offer as refutations. He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them...he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.” — 321 likes

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