John Stuart Mill's Concept of Liberty

What does liberty mean, and what it’s like to be a liberal. The word ‘liberal’ originated from the Latin dictionary and it means free. Our nation’s First Amendment in the Constitution of the United States of America and in the Bill of Rights, is freedom of speech and in the First Amendment American citizens have the freedom to choose what religion they wish to practice, they have the freedom to speak their opinion without fear, and the press have their freedom to be practiced as well without agitation.

Liberals are those that strongly follow the First Amendment and support it. While conservatives are against it, for instance, the conservatives believe that religion should be practiced in school, abortion and same-sex marriage should be considered and not allowed, and etc. while liberals believe it’s a personal choice and everyone has their freedom to choose what to do or what to practice and no government should oppose their belief or credence upon the citizens. However, John Mill presented the liberty term and brought it up into the constitution, yet he still placed limits by declaring and speaking about the harm principle, which is really important for us to understand and to comprehend. There are those that believe in the First Amendment but don’t understand how to practice it in the right way and they may act recklessly without consideration and consciousness. You do have the right to practice your freedom and do whatever you wish to do, as long as you are not harming others and putting other lives in danger for example, you have the right to drink, smoke without anyone interfering or bothering you. it’s true you are harming yourself and health, but the government or the law won’t interfere, however, if you are driving behind the wheels at high speed and endangering others’ lives then the law will get involved and enforce their punishment.

Save your time!
We can take care of your essay

• Proper editing and formatting
• Free revision, title page, and bibliography
• Flexible prices and money-back guarantee

Place an order

The main idea of opportunity and freedom has changed dramatically as time progresses. In many cases, the type of ruler changed from a dictatorship to an elected power with the use of the majority rule system. Minorities are often disenfranchised in the general public and lose their power. For example, throughout history, the mistreatment of African Americans has shown how one group of people can be victimized by a changing political system. Therefore, in a broader set of things, we may say that society is the oppressor who has imposed on the people their rules and customs.

John Stuart Mill was famously known for writing, three books that touched history and left a remark on this nation to be practice and used since 19th century, his books and work is still practiced by the government, society, and studied by students in colleges and universities. One of the books he wrote was ‘On Liberty’ where he spoke about what limit or extend society should have in order to ensure power over the individual. So, Mill strongly believes in liberalism and that everyone should be free to do whatever an individual want and no one should hold them accountable for anything they say, do or want. Unless there are issues that prevent them from doing so or holds them from practicing their freedom nonetheless it needs to investigate.

Therefore, by his belief of liberalism, he cleared it out by writing the two maxims of liberalism. The first maxim where he speaks about that society has no power or control into telling a civilian what to do, so basically everyone is free unless the second maxim interferes, and the civilian chooses to harm others by their action, that’s when society will take its place and hold you accountable. An individual can extensively drink alcohol, they are hurting themselves, however, they are not hurting others so they will not be punished, and they will not be questioned. Although, if they decide to drink and drive and risk other lives in danger because their care of others’ life is not very important to them, than their understanding of freedom and liberty is not in the right place and they can’t exercise freedom nevertheless defend themselves with it.

‘Utilitarianism’ is the second book that was written by John Stuart Mill. Utilitarianism falls in the umbrella of morality; morality is the choice that an independent take either choosing a right or wrong choice. Morality plays a huge role in our society and in the term of utilitarianism action, it is what brings happiness and satisfaction to others and whatever brings suffering should be excluded. Therefore, the happier choice of action we espouse is the right action we chose according to utilitarianism any action that doesn’t bring happiness and bring suffering it will be considered morally wrong and a person before taking action his morality should play a role in the choices that he/she will take.

My thesis for utilitarianism is if we, for instance, combine the two terms of theory, the value of theory and the theory of right action we will obtain a positive right utilitarianism. Begging with value of theory, it is the valuable things that bring us joy and happiness to us such as money, family, materialistic it is indeed valuable and brings happiness, and the theory of right action is what gives out the most happiness. Both theories together they come out with utilitarianism. Keeping in mind that what will make the majority happy is the right action, so don’t worry if you took the wrong choice or you thought you have made the wrong choice, but if with that wrong choice you are saving other and the majority of other people and bringing happiness and less suffering than you have taken the right action. As claimed by to mill, there is no right or wrong action it, only shows by the effect that it will bring out. Therefore, according to Mill, utilitarianism relates to liberty by giving others the freedom of choice.

As John Mill points out, independence can be found in three gatherings: freedom of thought and belief, freedom of taste and desire (possibility to build one's own life) and freedom to join like-minded people without hurting anyone else. The last of these forms opposes the strategy of the general public to 'do what you are told to do'. One must be willing to express his opinion of anything and should never be ashamed to do so. It protects truth, and likewise, no one should stifle the view of anything ethically out of place by any other citizen. The evaluation's general ubiquity doesn't make it right, nor does it make it alright. The inquiry continues, as it stands, as to whether people with an adverse viewpoint can be allowed to follow them up without being outcasts from society or facing legal action.

Although society is dishonest, it is considered a sheltered part of it. Nevertheless, Mill suggests that as much as could reasonably be expected, a person should express his own feelings and escape from the standards of society. It should be acknowledged that his torpid insight is direct to him and to the people around him. That entity will begin to say what they put in inventory, or the effects will be serious, another person will step up and say something very similar and get recognition of it, and there will be no benefit at that point in apologizing for it.

Truly said, one must be a non-traditionalist in the view of John Mill. He should not find anything positive or negative because he depends on doing so. He would try to investigate himself because it's just individual appreciation and comprehension. The interpretation of the target is the notion of a good or poor perspective. What might be of value to one person might be terrible to another. The right key is to follow the rights of a person as opposed to what is opposed to it. Likewise, within it, culture has set several traps for individuals. For example, by making a scene out of it, it makes everyone feel bad about their accomplishments. The similarity makes the individual weak and burns, causing him to lose his character throughout his time. The person who remains special when living in the general public is an exceptional individual.

The world usually whips the person with disdain and urgency in order to resist. As a consequence, those who judge should be avoided by men. On the off chance that an individual will figure out how to escape the harsh essences of the individuals around him, he will acquire expertise with the way to true happiness because, like the sweet essences of the vast number, the acrylic appearances have no thoughtful purpose, yet they are placed on as the pattern goes on and the wind blows. If one figures out how to understand these, the viciousness of the formed classes will be overcome by him. We are society's decisions that shake our confidence and self-confidence. In general, therefore, individuals will be increasingly repetitive, respectful of past demonstrations and words; because the general public's eyes have no other way to judge us than our past activities and languages.

In any case, why would living with one's past second thoughts and feelings be a good idea? Why aren't we developing as the world continues with time and progress? Assume that the person rejects himself, what are the consequences of that? Living with the memory of one's history and rehashing something very similar again is an extremely foolish act. With time, one must move forward, repudiate oneself, and by investigating oneself adopt new things. One should never be embarrassed to negate oneself and should talk about one's contemplations, as consistency is simply a matter of discernment. Talk with hard words now and tomorrow what you think, express what you think tomorrow, with no second thoughts, no matter how negative it may be. What you say today is that you are amazing and that you are a better person. Every exceptional person, like Newton, Pythagoras, Luther, Jesus, Muhammad they have been underestimated on their occasions and is now regarded as the defining moments of the greatest achievements at any given point.

Incredible people on their occasions are never respected. Their enormity provides what is to come regularly. The increasing entity is the universe's focal point and is indistinguishably devoted to it by any other individual. A person should never bow down and ask for absolution, because his privilege may be unacceptable to others, and he should not be punished with it. A true man has a place where there is no other time and place and is the center of things. Nature is alive where it is. Each person has a tremendous amount of potential; however, by making themselves sufficient against each of the conditions they need to achieve their own structure. Caesar was conceived and the incomparable Roman Empire was given the establishment.

In any case, unique names or titles should not overwhelm one, rather they should work for it. One should look at the world as their canvas and paint it. It must be known that the world exists for itself, and only for itself. We should recognize that freedom is a valid source of truth and that it is the best way forward in everyday life. An extraordinary piece of craftsmanship, or any outstanding work of art, is looking for a person to come and translate. Nevertheless, in order to applaud our discernment, it does not order us to guide it and settle the case.

Socrates promised that the leader must have a piece of self-information and shrewdness and temperance in the majority rule structure. The ruler would become unreasonably degenerate without them. However, John Mill accepted that the monarch would speak out in support of the rights of those ruled in the framework of majority rules and that such a popular government will guarantee the independence of the conceivable.

John Mill never gave up on education he walked in the path of liberalism and made his point clear for this nation, he dedicated his time to leave a remark and make a difference in this world that will be remembered for generations and generations. John Mill was always into politics, yet that didn’t hold him back from falling in love in France and joining the parliament at the age of 17. If other nations understood liberty the way that John Mill, explained and followed his methodology and books, I believe the world would have been in much more peace, suffered less, and became more of a stable place. With this knowledge and fundamental of liberty, I as political student aiming to become an ambassador one day will try my best to pass on the study of John Mill to the real world and especially to the third world as it has become one of my goals in the future.