On Liberty

by John Stuart Mill

the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute.

compulsion, either in the direct form or in that of pains and penalties for non-compliance, is no longer admissible as a means to their own good, and justifiable only for the security of others.

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.

This one branch is the Liberty of Thought: from which it is impossible to separate the cognate liberty of speaking and of writing.

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.

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.

we can expect no fresh start, until we again assert our mental freedom.

He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that.