Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Discussed and debated from time immemorial, the concept of personal liberty went without codification until the 1859 publication of On Liberty. John Stuart Mill's complete and resolute dedication to the cause of freedom inspired this treatise, an enduring work through which the concept remains well known and studied.
The British economist, philosopher, and ethical theorist's argument does not focus on "the so-called Liberty of the Will...but Civil, or Social Liberty: the nature and limits of the power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual." Mill asks and answers provocative questions relating to the boundaries of social authority and individual sovereignty. In powerful and persuasive prose, he declares that there is "one very simple principle" regarding the use of coercion in society -- one may only coerce others either to defend oneself or to defend others from harm.
The new edition offers students of political science and philosophy, in an inexpensive volume, one of the most influential studies on the nature of individual liberty and its role in a democratic society.
Synopsis
John Stuart Mill was a prominent English philosopher and political economist in the 19th century. Mill is considered to be one of the most influential liberal thinkers in history and he was a significant contributor to many fields such as social theory, political theory, and political economy. Mill is also notable for being the first Member of Parliament to argue in favor of women's suffrage. On Liberty, published in 1859, is generally considered to be Mill's most famous work. Mill applies his ethical system of utilitarianism to society in order to establish a relationship between liberty and authority.