"The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilised community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant."
Nineteenth century English philosopher. His mentor JeremyBentham, had sought to establish a basis for a perfect system of government by postulating a baseline referred to as the principle of utility, otherwise known as the greatest happiness principle. As such, government may proceed by seeking the maximisation of happiness and the minimisation of pain, which allowed the development of social order on a principle of deterrence.
Mill suggested that this idea was too simplistic to be an entirely useful basis for a system of government, since people could not be relied upon to behave in so predictable a manner. As such, he sought to establish a liberal approach to utilitarianism by suggesting that since happiness is likely to be the most desirable outcome for the majority of people the best way to proceed is to allow individuals to define that happiness themselves rather than starting from a predetermined notion. As an example, justice is important since it protects the rights of individuals to pursue happiness.
Objections have been made to this, by such figures as Isaiah Berlin, by suggesting that the discrepany between the overall happiness of society and of the inviduals prevented any consistency in Mill's theory. Mill's own solution had been that liberty was an important consideration since individuals would be able to puruse their own idea of happiness unless they brought harm to others (a somewhat vage distinction as many conservatives have also pointed out) However, Mill had not regarded consistency as being particularly desirable and had taken the view that matters would be best determined on a case by case basis. To Mill, liberty is important for allowing individuals to fully realise their own potential, and as such is an essential precondition for all progress.
Though FriedrichNietzsche had derided 'English psychologists' such as Mill and GeorgeEliot for attempting to reconstruct forms of morals on a secular basis, the absence of conventional idea of virtue in Mill nonetheless points to certain areas of similarity between the two thinkers.
See other PhilosophersAndBrigands.