John Stuart Mill on Liberty in John

John Stuart Mill on Liberty In John Stuart Mill's brilliant 19th Century essay "On Liberty" he states that "the worth of a State, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it." What Mills is purporting in that statement is that the State (the government) must not impede on the natural development of individual liberty. We are never to forget that we have inalienable rights for life and liberty. These rights are as natural as the air we breathe.

No government or group of thugs can ever deny our natural pursuits of liberty and freedom. The entire essay stresses the need of what liberty is to be understood and constituted in our lives, and to be warned of external pressures that would impede our basic civil liberties; essentially, he warns that individuals reacting under the conscious of a single, civil mindset to exert chic laws may infringe upon our rights.

This mindset would be formed based on a set of circumstances that are presented, forcing others to conform and bend to the will of a majority. People are natural reactionaries, they are responsive to various stimuli that might infringe upon basic human rights because they respond emotionally rather than through logical thought of action. Mill emphasizes the point that an individual's life must be rewarding through their work and lifestyle, that an individual must have a foundation of education and knowledge.

By building the internal and external wealth of an individual you can build a community with a majority of people who will act appropriately to an event that may affect the community rather than react inappropriately and infringe upon the rights of others. It is a balance of power, an equilibrium that is constantly tested between liberty and security.

We know today that most crimes are committed by individuals who are frustrated by their lifestyle and lash out emotionally, that they lack the full education to better their way of life and avoid pursing a crime. People must be allowed to have opinions and express their feelings, but feelings must not turn into laws or rules without identify the logical consequences of their actions. And Mill is correct in his analysis of circumstances.

Recent events since September 11th of last year have pointed our need of security without infringing upon civil liberties. A group of Muslims carried out a terrorist attack against this country. Since that time, the U.S. Justice Department has detained thousands of Muslim men, most of the aliens, though some American citizens have been incarcerated, without due process under the law in the name of adverting future attacks and protecting the citizenry. Sadly, large portions of Americans are not thwarting this policy.

They are allowing General Ashcroft to misinterpret the Constitution's intention of protection and liberty for all, and not just U.S. citizens. Mill's beliefs do apply to the mass media and it should. We need to have individuals in the media to be early warning system when there are signs and indications of changes within society that may reflect a change with our liberties and rights. The media are the eyes and ears that look toward the government for news because the government is the great source of.