John Mill

1806-1873 Mill, John Stuart

One would think that John Stuart Mill, who is famous for developing the philosophy of Utilitarianism ( an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if the opposite ) would be well aligned with the Declaration of Independence, “… endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In his essay, On Liberty, he accentuates the individual and describes what he sees as the limits of the state on individuals. In that same essay he promotes total free speech. However, he embraced Malthusianism and controlled population growth. He also thought cooperatives should replace capitalism. I believe these latter things are what link him to modern day liberalism. He was certainly a complex fellow.

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