Mills State

• Mills argued that "self regarding actions" such as religion, should be tolerated as they do not impinge on the freedom of others in society
• Mills argued that "other regarding actions" such as violent behaviour, clearly harm the freedom of others in society and should not be tolerated by a liberal state
• Mills argued that tolerance of diverse opinions was especially important as it would ensure that new ideas emerged while bad ideas were exposed via rational debate
• Mills argued that universal suffrage must be preceded by universal education as he hoped it would promote what individuals could become rather than what they had to become. This was to produce a liberal consensus in society which would safeguard tolerance, reason and individualism
• Mills believed that the vote should be withheld from the illiterate and unschooled while those with university education would receive more than one vote