On Liberty

by John Stuart Mill

"On Liberty" by John Stuart Mill is an essay published in 1859. Mill applies utilitarian ethics to explore the relationship between individual freedom and governmental authority. He warns against the "tyranny of the majority" in democracies and argues that personal liberty should only be restricted to prevent harm to others. Mill outlines three basic freedoms and champions individuality as essential to human flourishing. This influential work, shaped significantly by his collaboration with his wife Harriet Taylor Mill, remains a cornerstone of liberal political thought.