John Stuart Mill: An Advocate for Individual Expression

John Stuart Mill's famous essay On Liberty, published in 1859, holds individual liberty in very high regard. "Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called" (Mill, 71). Eccentricity and freedom of expression are essential characteristics for the citizens of an ideal society, not because Mill sees these traits as natural rights or moral virtues, but because these qualities are integral for creating a dynamic society. Without individualism, a society is doomed to conformity and intellectual stagnation. This idea that a society as a whole will benefit greatly from these things is a utilitarian justification for Mill's thesis. Within the contents of this essay, Mill outlines a system that entails precisely how and when a government should become involved in the personal lives of its citizens, a principle dubbed by many scholars as his "harm principle." Although this theory contains many loopholes that could possibly be mistaken for weaknesses, it is my belief that Mill constructs a solid argument in favor of the proliferation of individual expression. His argument is thorough and well executed - he takes the time to carefully examine opposing positions, and even devotes an entire chapter to applications of his theory.