OCC CIV JS MILL STUFF

Questions:

1) What is liberty according to Mill?

both civil and social liberty

-nature and limits of the power which can be legitimiately exercised by society over the individual

-HARM PRINCIPLE

-your rights extend until they violate the rights of others

Three types of liberty

-1) Liberty of Thought and Discussion

-free speech is really really really really important

-humanity is actually harmed by supressing free expression of speech

-2) Liberty of Individuality

-Mill thinks its a real problem that individuality is not recognized as a good in and of itself, rather than a means to an end

-individuality is necessary for Mill's society to function effectively

-individuality is useful because people can learn from nonconformists

-if individual thought is stifled, human thought and exploration stagnates

-3) Harms Principle

-Mill rejects the social contract, but believes that since society is providing certain protection for people, they should act a certain way in return

-example of the principle- a person spends lavishly and can't pay back his debts. he should be punished for not paying his debts, not for living lavishly

-a person's rights extend until they injure the rights of otehrs

2) How does Mill's notion of liberty differ from the range of ideas expressed during the French Revolution on the basis of Hunt's compendium?

Mill's notion of liberty is based on the Harm Principle

-your rights extend until they infringe on the rights of others

-government exists to SERVE THE PEOPLE

Hunt's notion of liberty is based on Human Rights

-your rights are all that is important

-government exists to PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS

-so apparently hunt is telling you what you want government to do for you

-just protect your rights

again:

Mill's notion of liberty is based on the HARM PRINCIPLE: your rights extend until they harm others

Hunt's notion of liberty is based on HUMAN RIGHTS: you have a defined set of natural rights you're born with, which can exclude things that may not harm others

3) What do Mill's ideas have to do with liberalism as described in lectures and in Rapport's text?

classical liberalism is broadly defined as a doctrine stressing the importance of the individual

-subtexts for this include property rights, stressing rationality, natural rights, constitutional limitations on government

Mill's liberalism follows this defnition very closely

-he essentially defines classical liberalism

-his ideas of constitutional limits on government are essentially the defining writings for classical liberalism

-the Tyranny of the Majority is a major concern

-rationality is also big, as is property rights, etc