John Stuart Mill, philosopher whose conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state and social control
John Stuart Mill (May 20, 1806 – May 8, 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist and civil servant.
- One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism, he contributed widely to social theory, political theory and political economy.
- Dubbed “the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century”, Mill’s conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state and social control.
- Mill was a proponent of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by his predecessor Jeremy Bentham, and contributed significantly to the theory of the scientific method.
- A member of the Liberal Party, he was also the first Member of Parliament to call for women’s suffrage.
Words of Wisdom
That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in the next.
