Inspirational texts

In this section we are starting to reference authors and texts that have influenced our thinking as humanists. The first contribution is on a seminal "liberal" thinker...

John Stuart Mill

2006 is the bi-centenary of the birth of the celebrated early Victorian, J.S.Mill. Mill's ideas have become so deeply absorbed into our modern society that everyone can feel their influence even without any reading of his works on moral and political philosophy. Perhaps his most influential work is his famous essay "On Liberty". This essay on personal liberty and individuality is still regarded as the most powerful expression of the ideals of "Liberal Democracy".

The personal freedoms that Mill so eloquently defends are not however given to us forever. They need constant reaffirmation. The current resurgence of authoritarian government and religious intolerance should make us re-examine "On Liberty" with renewed interest. In Mills own words taken from the introduction to his essay "On Liberty":

"The object of this Essay is to assert one very simple principle to govern the dealings of society with the individual... That principle is, that the sole end for which mankind are warranted... in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. … These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any evil, in case he do otherwise. To justify that, the conduct from which it is desired to deter him must be calculated to produce evil to some one else. The only part of the conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign".

Read more about J.S.Mill

And about his essay "On Liberty"