John Stuart Mill

• Freedom

  Both negative and positive

  Advocates negative freedom (absence of interference ) while also emphasising importance of enabling individuals to reach their potential ( positive freedom )
• Freedom: Counterpoints

  Social liberals= true freedom requires enabling conditions and opportunities, not just the absence of interference

  Marxists= critique notion of freedom in capitalist societies, arguing economic constraints limit true freedom
• Important work

  On Liberty 1859
• Examples

  First Amendment = protects freedom of speech and expression , reflecting Mill's emphasis on individual liberties

  Civil Rights Act 1964 = prohibits discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex or national origin

  Equal Pay Act 1963= reflects Mill's belief in gender equality and justice in workplace
• Human nature

  • views humans as rational beings capable of moral reasoning and higher pleasures
  • believes that individual development and the pursuit of happiness should be balanced with concern for welfare of others
• Human nature: Counterpoints

  1. Marxist: human is shaped by economic conditions and class struggle
  2. Traditional conservative: may claim that human nature is flawed and requires strong authority to maintain order, rejecting Mill's view of human rights
  3. Socialist: argue that Mill's emphasis on individualism neglects the importance of community and collective responsibility
• Society

  • champions a pluralistic society where diverse opinions and lifestyles can coexist
  • emphasises the importance of tolerance and harm principle, which states that individual liberty can only be restricted to prevent harm to others
• Society: Counterpoints

  1. Social Democrat: Mill's model doesn't adequately address social inequalities and needs of welfare state
  2. Gradualist Socialist: his emphasis on individual property rights can lead to exploitation and class disparity
  3. Anarchists: critique idea of social contracts, arguing for a more decentralised approach to societal organisation
• State

  • limited government that intervenes only to protect individual rights
  • believes in the necessity of protecting liberties while allowing for democratic governance and social reform
• State: Counterpoints

  1. New Right: critique limited government approach, arguing a stronger state is necessary to enforce moral standards
  2. Socialist: emphasises civic virtue and participation, arguing that Mill's model is too focused on individual rights at the expense of communal responsibilities
  3. Anarchist: reject the need for state, arguing that true freedom comes from abolishing the government
• Economy

  • endorses free markets but acknowledges the need for regulation to ensure fairness and prevent exploitation
  • economic freedom should be balanced with social justice considerations
• Economy: Counterpoints

  1. Marxist: critique the concept of free markets as a source of class conflict and exploitation
  2. Social Democrat: unregulated markets can lead to monopolies and inequality, necessitating government intervention
  3. Socialist: argue for communal ownership of resources opposing Mill's individualistic property rights
• Property

  • property as essential for individual freedom and social progress but believes it should be regulated to promote fairness and prevent inequality
• Property: Counterpoints

  1. Marxist: property ownership leads to class divisions and exploitation Social Democratic
  2. Socialist: advocate for communal ownership of resources, arguing that property should should serve the community
  3. New Rights: property rights are essential for economic growth and personal responsibility