John Stuart Mills - Key Thinker 3

Question 1

How did Mill view human nature?

Answer 1

Human nature is a ‘work in progress’ rather than a ‘finished article’

Shows more sophistication than classic liberalism

Question 2

What is ‘developmental individualism’?

Answer 2

Do not liberate individuals as they are, but rather see what they can become

Question 3

Mill’s view on the state

Answer 3

Worried about tyranny of the majority

‘Government by consent’ would mean many liberal-minded ideals would be denied by votes of many uneducated people.
A floor of democracy.

Question 4

What is negative freedom and what did it link to?

Answer 4

Freedom involving no constraint

Linked to the harm principle

Question 5

How did Mill clarify tolerance?

Answer 5

Classified actions into ‘self-regarding’ and ‘other-regarding’

‘Self-regarding’ = does not restrict others so should be tolerated
e.g. worship

‘Other-regarding’ = does harm others so should be forbidden
e.g. violence

Question 6

Importance of tolerance

Answer 6

Welcomes a diverse range of opinion.

Allows new ideas to be explored and bad ideas to be criticised.