John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher and economist who is often considered to be one of the greatest thinkers of the 19th century. He wrote books such as On Liberty, Utilitarianism and The Subjection of Women.
Mill believed that the government should not interfere with the lives of individuals as long as they were not harming others. He believed that human beings had certain rights which should not be violated by other people or governments. These include freedom of thought and speech, freedom from slavery and protection from being tortured by police forces or military officers.
Philosopher was a supporter of individual liberty but he also believed that the government could use force to protect the rights of individuals against those who would take away their freedom. For example, he argued that taxes should be paid because without taxes there would be no roads or hospitals for everyone in society to enjoy.
He argued that laws should only be passed when there is a ‘clear and direct’ benefit for society as a whole (not just for one person).
Moreover, Mill also argued that all forms of discrimination should be outlawed because they violate an individual’s right to freedom from discrimination based on their race, gender or any other characteristic that is irrelevant to their abilities as a human being.
