On Liberty | Study Guide

Since its publication in 1859 On Liberty has become a foundational text providing philosophical justification for governance in liberal capitalist democracies. Mill lays out a series of principles, of which individual liberty is the paramount concern, and around which societies should be organized. Mill contrasts the principles and practice of individual liberty to both state tyranny and the "tyranny of the majority," which cannot be overcome by simple democratic checks on autocratic power. The essay progresses from a defense of freedom of thought, to broader individual liberty, and finally considers where proper checks on individual liberty can be placed. Continuously in print, the work is a foundation of liberal thought, and Mill has remained the most important philosopher of liberalism.