On Liberty

In his wonderfully clear and cogent essay On Liberty, Mill contends that individuals should be as free as possible from interference by government. Proposing that individual fulfilment is the surest route to collective happiness, he argues passionately against the "tyranny of the majority," and sets out to create an alternative view of a practical politics that sets proper limits on the powers of government and society.

The result, Mill argues, will be not only greater freedom, but also improved social progress. He reached these conclusions by re-interpreting a large body of existing political and philosophical thought – introducing insights drawn from several different schools of thought, and thereby creating an unparalleled defense of classic liberal principals. Much of the clarity of thought that Mill has become celebrated for is the product of his ability to explain meaning, define terms, and highlight problems and issues of definition – making him an exemplar of high quality interpretive thinking.

Dr Ashleigh Campi is visiting lecturer in the Department of Politics at Scripps College. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Chicago.

Dr Lindsay Scorgie Porter is visiting Assistant Professor in Politics at the University of Western Ontario. She holds a PhD in Politics and International Studies from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Global Politics from the London School of Economics.

Politics