What John Stuart Mill thinks about libertarianism
Philosopher (1806 to 1873), a utilitarian and liberal; worked for the East India Company for almost thirty-five years; elected Member of Parliament for Westminster in 1865.
John Stuart Mill did not write this page.
We collected these quotes from things they published elsewhere, and every quote links to where it was said. They have no account here and have not endorsed this site. Quotes are word for word; the short line under each one is our own restatement, not their wording. Their own site. Is this you? Claim it or ask us to remove it. Or tell us what is wrong here.
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6 dated positions, c. 1859 to c. 1861–1869, in their own words. Our reading of what John Stuart Mill has said — not written or endorsed by them.
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Their wordsIt is not true that in all voluntary association between two people, one of them must be absolute master: still less that the law must determine which of them it shall be.
↗The Subjection of Women (1869)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
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Our readingOver conduct that concerns only themselves, an individual's independence is rightfully absolute
Their wordsIn the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.
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Our readingThe only freedom worth the name is pursuing our own good our own way without hindering others
Their wordsThe 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.
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Their wordsMankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.
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Their wordsBut the strongest of all the arguments against the interference of the public with purely personal conduct, is that when it does interfere, the odds are that it interferes wrongly, and in the wrong place.
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Their wordsThe principle of freedom cannot require that he should be free not to be free. It is not freedom, to be allowed to alienate his freedom.