J'S' Mill 180673

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J.S. Mill (1806-73)

• Political Liberty

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• The classic western form of liberal political
  philosophy which we saw developing in John Locke
  is further refined in J.S. Mills book On Liberty
  (1869).
• The subject of this book is the nature and
  limits of the power which can be legitimately
  exercised by society over the individual.

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• What is the connection between ethics and
  politics in Mills thought?
• One way of approaching this would be to return to
  the basic principle of utilitarianism
• Always act so that you maximise the happiness
  of all those affected.

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• and to substitute follow the policy for act
  hence,
• Always follow the policy which maximises the
  happiness of all members of society.

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• Mills political philosophy is based on the claim
  that at the level of society happiness is
  maximised through LIBERALISM in other words,
  the most general policy to be followed is that
  of liberty of the individual.

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• Mills political philosophy is ultimately based
  on the moral principle of utilitarianism. Mill
  believes that only a liberal society can
  produce the greatest happiness of the greatest
  number.
• NOTE his defence of liberty is not based on an
  idea of rights or of human nature, but on the
  idea of maximising happiness.

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• Mill identifies the fundamental problem of
  liberty in democratic societies as protecting
  individuals against the tyranny of the
  majority.
• In contrast, Locke, because of the time in which
  he was writing, was worried about the tyranny of
  the minority (even of one).

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• Mills conception of this danger is based on a
  basic distinction between the individual and
  society
• A constant feature of all forms of liberalism is
  the idea that freedom of the individual must be
  protected from the power of the
  society/government (or, in Lockes case, from the
  power of other individuals).

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• In other words, there is a basic opposition
  between the individual, as site of freedom, and
  society as source of power.
• Therefore, for Mill, the primary issue for any
  political philosophy is where and how to draw the
  line between individual freedom and
  social/government interference.

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• In the first chapter of On Liberty Mill states
  the basic principle which he believes should
  govern relations between individual freedom and
  social constraint
• this principle is often referred to as Mills
  Harm Principle.

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MILLS HARM PRINCIPLE

• The principle is, that the sole end for which
  mankind are warranted, individually or
  collectively, in interfering with the liberty of
  action of any of their number is self-protection.
  
• That the only purpose for which power can be
  rightfully exercised over any member of a
  civilized community, against his will, is to
  prevent harm to others. His own good, either
  physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant

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• The only part of the conduct of anyone, for
  which he is amenable to society, is that which
  concerns others. In the part which merely
  concerns himself, his independence is, of right,
  absolute. Over himself, over his own body and
  mind, the individual is sovereign.
• J.S. Mill, On Liberty, Ch.1, p.14.

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• The Principle states that society can only
  interfere with an individuals choices in cases
  where those choices are likely to harm other
  individuals.
• In other words, society/government has no right
  to prevent an action if that action only affects
  the person performing the action

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• so, for example, if you choose to smoke the
  government cannot interfere with this choice,
  even on grounds that its bad for you. Since you
  are only hurting yourself, it is no business of
  society.
• Of course, this example would have to be
  complicated with issues about the damage caused
  by passive smoking, etc.

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• On the other hand, if you choose to drive on the
  motorway at 150km/hr while drunk, then you are a
  serious danger to other individuals and so the
  government is justified in interfering with your
  choice.

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• These distinctions are based on the idea that our
  actions can be more or less clearly divided into
  those which affect only ourselves and those which
  affect other people.

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• In the former case, according to Mill, we should
  have total freedom, while in the latter case we
  should be prevented from endangering, or harming,
  others.
• So, in the case of actions which only affect
  ourselves, we can do what we want
• but in the case of actions which affect others,
  we can do what we want up to the point that it
  begins to harm/endanger others.

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• In order to make this kind of distinction the
  basis for a political philosophy, Mill has to
  clearly state the difference between these two
  domains
• the domain of private self-concerning action
  and the domain of public other-affecting action.
  He approaches this task by sketching the
  essential features of the private domain.

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• which we will look at next time.