‘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.’
Debated since its publication and studied to this day, the concept of personal liberty was first codified in Mill’s On Liberty. Mill’s argument for freedom is not merely theoretical but also practical. He thoroughly covers both the philosophical foundations of freedom and the political ramifications such a philosophy would have. On Liberty remains one of the central works of classical liberalism to this day and is a must read for anyone who wishes to understand this philosophical tradition.
John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, political economist, and politician. He is one of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism and made important contributions to social theory, political theory, and classical economics.