John Stuart Mill on Classical Liberalism and Modern Liberalism
John Stuart Mill was a classical liberal thinker and believed, through the influence of his father, that man deserved to live a life that promoted the greatest amount of happiness with limited government intervention. Mill grew up with the belief that there was no God and therefore believed that man is born inherently good; government should be limited to allow individuals to make their own decisions from their inherently good instincts; economic freedom provided individuals with the protection of rights and promoted the ideology that Mill stood for most, Utilitarianism which highly influenced classical liberalism.
The philosophy of John Stuart Mill has influenced mankind and classical liberalism throughout history. John Stuart Mill, a philosopher in the 1800s, was an atheist, which made an impact on his belief of the role of man. His belief system came from his father James Mill and his father’s friend Jeremy Bentham.
Mill believed that there is no such thing as God in this world, which explains why he believed that there is no absolute truth. “Mill was also critical of the intellectual laziness that permitted belief in an omnipotent and benevolent God. He felt, following his father, that the world as we find it could not possibly have come from such a God given the evils rampant in it; either his power is limited or he is not wholly benevolent” Without absolute truth therefore morality is determined by an individual’s reflection of right or wrong. Mill believed that man is born inherently good which means humans have the ability to make good decisions that satisfy them. Humankind has good instincts and therefore they would not make decisions that would harm anybody.
James Mill, the father of John Stuart Mill, was a strong utilitarian along with his friend Jeremy Bentham. These men molded Mill’s ideology. “Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure
The philosophy of John Stuart Mill has influenced mankind and classical liberalism throughout history. John Stuart Mill, a philosopher in the 1800s, was an atheist, which made an impact on his belief of the role of man. His belief system came from his father James Mill and his father’s friend Jeremy Bentham.
Mill believed that there is no such thing as God in this world, which explains why he believed that there is no absolute truth. “Mill was also critical of the intellectual laziness that permitted belief in an omnipotent and benevolent God. He felt, following his father, that the world as we find it could not possibly have come from such a God given the evils rampant in it; either his power is limited or he is not wholly benevolent” Without absolute truth therefore morality is determined by an individual’s reflection of right or wrong. Mill believed that man is born inherently good which means humans have the ability to make good decisions that satisfy them. Humankind has good instincts and therefore they would not make decisions that would harm anybody.
James Mill, the father of John Stuart Mill, was a strong utilitarian along with his friend Jeremy Bentham. These men molded Mill’s ideology. “Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure