Liberty for all It is surprising to me how many people assume that 'On Liberty' was written before or during the American Revolution - Mill was certainly influenced by the spirit of American liberty, which was variously romanticised and adapted in Britain and Europe during the nineteenth century. Published in 1859, 'On Liberty' is one of the primary political texts of the nineteenth century; perhaps only the writings of Marx had a similar impact, and of the two, in today's world, Mill's philosophy seems (please note that I... more info
More relevant today than in 1859 :( John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was interested in the nature of Civil Liberty, and the limits to the power that a Government can legitimately exercise upon its citizens. He believed that some worrying tendencies could be observed in the England society of his time, and tried to warn others about them. The author basically explains his ideas regarding the preservation of individual liberties, not only due to the fact that they are rights owed to everyone, but also because they benefit society as a whole.... more info
On Liberty Mill shines on Liberty, so coherent, so well voiced, so relevant still today.
An Undergraduate Reviewer speaks... Without wishing to touch too much on the significance of Mill's essays, this edition comes highly recommended for students - it's cheap, it includes the 4 essays you're likely to need - 'On Liberty' may well be the most well known of the essays, but 'Utilitarianism' provides the necessary backdrop for understanding Mill's thought. Nevertheless, 'Considerations of Representative Government' and 'Subjection of Women' are extremely valuable to have and in a single volume at such a low price, it can only be... more info
