Social development is a clinical part in today’s society that can have a drastic impact in one’s life. In John Stuart Mill’s book, On Liberty, social development is being promoted by a large idea, individuality, that has parts to it like: play, freedom of opinion and speech, and meaning. With the promotion of this idea, Mill also considers activities that can be a problem prevent not only people, but a whole society, from reaching social development and considers solutions to these problems.
It is very noticeable that John Stuart Mill heavily supports individuality on building a successful society as well as help enhance one’s social development, “No one’s idea of excellence in conduct is that people should do absolutely nothing but copy one another.” (Mill 55). Mill also talks about how play is an important part to find one’s creativity, allowing for individuality to flourish, saying, “To give any fair play to the nature of each, it is essential that different persons should be allowed to lead different lives,” (60).
With that, Mill also references freedom of speech and opinion, again, allowing for one’s individual thoughts, ideas, and opinions to flourish and allow one to express themselves, with a limit of course, as long as they do not cause harm to anyone, stating that, “This, then, is the appropriate region of human liberty…demanding liberty of conscience in the most comprehensive sense; liberty of thought and feeling; absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment on all subjects, practical or speculative, scientific, moral, or theological,” (11).
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Finally, Mill talks about the importance of a meaning, for someone to find a meaning to their life, their own individual purpose, allowing for individuality to once again be present, as well as interpretations, referencing that, “All languages and literatures are full of general observations on life, both as to what it is, and how to conduct oneself in it…yet of which most people first truly learn the meaning when experience, generally of a painful kind, has made it a reality to them,” (38).
John Stuart Mill talks about different problems that could prevent these activities from happening. Some problems would be tyranny, government/religion and their power over people, customs, and laws. For tyranny, Mill talks about a person, or a group of people having complete control on others. “They consisted of a governing One, or a governing tribe or caste, who derived their authority from inheritance or conquest, who at all events, did not hold it at the pleasure of the governed…,” (Mill 1). Mill describes the basics of a tyranny and how one gets into power, also talking about how a tyranny does not please those who are governed by it.
Along with that, Mill believes that the power and control of the government, as well as that of religion, have a major prevention on social development and individuality. The reason behind this would be that the government manages most of what the people can do and at times not listening to their people, which gives them a lot of power. As stated by Mill, “The limitation, therefore, of the power of government over individuals loses none of its importance when the holders of power are regularly accountable to the community,” (4).
Same goes for religion, they have a lot of control and power over the people that follow that religion, allowing it to influence and limit one’s; thoughts, ideas, morals, limiting their individuality in the process. “…religion, the most powerful of the elements which have entered into the formation of moral feeling, having almost always been governed either by the ambition of a hierarchy, seeking control over every department of human conduct…,” (Mill 13). Customs and laws fall into this question, in a way piggy backing off of government and religion, because customs can be part of a religion and the ways things are done and laws fall under government, making a set of rules that one must follow or they risk penalties like fines, time in jail, or could even cost them their life.
When it comes to strategies on how to overcome these problems, John Stuart Mill talks about the harm principle, critical thinking, corrigibility, filter through wisdom; past, present, and future. The harm principle, which was explained by Mill, would help prevent these problems from emerging because it will take into consideration the actions of people and the consequences/harm it can do to not only other people, but themselves as well, with Mill saying that, “…the principle requires liberty of tastes and pursuits; of framing the plan of our life to suit our own character; of doing as we like, subject to such consequences as may follow: without impediment from our fellow creatures, so long as what we do does not harm them,” (12).
Critical thinking would also be a great strategy in order to prevent problems, because critical thinking would allow for people to think about different ways to solve solutions and be able to allow their society to prosper. With that corrigibility would also be a great way to prevent these problems from emerging, because by being corrigible one is open to correction, allowing them to improve themselves and build a one’s social development and the communities, “…it is owing to a quality of the human mind, the source of everything respectable in man either as an intellectual or as a moral being, namely, that his errors are corrigible. He is capable of rectifying his mistakes, by discussion and experience.
Not by experience alone,” (Mill 19). Finally, Mill talks about filtering through wisdom formed by discussion, experiences, and open mindedness, based on past experiences, what is happening in the present, and what one is looking for in the future. “…by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of opinion, and studying all modes in which it can be looked at by every character of mind,” (Mill 19). This can really build ones’ social development and say a lot about their individuality since most of these pertain to one person specifically.
From the readings, it is expressed that individuality is very clinical for a society to prevail. This then allows me to believe that John Stuart Mill believes that the individual is the only important thing in for society. Mill believes this because he is constantly talking about the importance and impact that an individual can have in a society. This can be either negative like forming a tyranny and the influence that one person can have in the making of that, or in a more positive way like having empathy or being corrigible, allowing for one not only to understand or at least try to comprehend what another person might be going through, but also be open to corrections when something is misunderstood on behalf of their part to better improve and build their social development as well as the society’s social development.
In conclusion John Stuart Mill is very much a firm believer of individuality and how much of an impact it can have on a society. While he is aware of all of the possible problems that can prevent individuality from happening, Mill also comes up with solutions that can counter these problems an allow for a progression and promotion of social development amongst oneself and a society.
Bibliography
- Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty. Victorian Association of Braille Writers, 1923
