The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.
John Stuart Mill On Liberty, Chapter I, Introductory (1859)
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When and why it was written
- When
- From On Liberty, published in 1859.
- Why
- Mill is setting out the principle that limits society's power over the individual.
What it means
Mill's freedom is personal and bounded: your own good, your own way, without stopping anyone else.
It is a principle for governments and also for families, friendships and our own expectations of others.
Our reading of the passage cited above, not a quotation from a commentary.
Read the source
On Liberty, 1859
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