On Liberty and Other Essays

“On Liberty and Other Essays” brings together the most important works of philosopher and political economist John Stuart Mill. In “On Liberty” Mill eloquently ponders the question of where the line should be drawn between the freedom of individuals and the authority of the state. As he puts it, “The struggle between liberty and authority is the most conspicuous feature in the portions of history with which we are earliest familiar...” Second in this volume, “Utilitarianism” is the classic exposition of the Utilitarian philosophy, the basic principle of which is that one’s actions should be guided towards outcomes that create the greatest good for the greatest numbers of people. In “Considerations on Representative Government,” Mill makes his arguments for the representative form of government as the ideal one. Lastly, “The Subjection of Women” is an essay co-written with his wife, Harriet Taylor Mill, arguing in favor of equality between the sexes. Arguably one of the most important political thinkers of the modern era, John Stuart’s Mill’s influence on Western civilization cannot be overstated. This representative selection collects together his principal works. This edition includes a biographical afterword.