Definition
John Stuart Mill, also known as J.S. Mill, was a British philosopher, political economist, and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism, he contributed widely to social theory, political theory, and political economy. Dubbed “the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century”, Mill’s conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state and social control.
John Stuart Mill
What is ‘John Stuart Mill’
John Stewart Mill was a philosopher, an economist, a senior official in the East India Company and a son of James Mill. John Stewart Mill is most well-known for his 1848 work, “Principles of Political Economy,” which combined the concentrations of philosophy and economics and advocated that population limits and slowed economic growth would be beneficial to the environment and increase public goods. He is also known for his earlier work, “System of Logic,” which outlined the methods of science and how they can be applied to social mechanics.
Explaining ‘John Stuart Mill’
John Stuart Mill was born in 1806 and lived until 1873. He grew up in a strict household under a firm father and was required to learn history, Greek, Latin, mathematics and economic theory at a very young age. He is subsequently considered one of the most influential British thought leaders on political discourse, including epistemology, economics, ethics, metaphysics, social and political philosophy and other concentrations. In order of publication, his best known works are “A System of Logic,” “Principles of Political Economy,” “On Liberty,” “Utilitarianism,” “The Subjection of Women,” “Three Essays on Religion” and his autobiography, which was written the year he died.
Upbringing, Ideology and Other Major Influences
Much of John Stuart Mill’s beliefs, thoughts and influential works can be attributed to his upbringing and the ideology taught to him through his father, James Mill. His father became acquainted with the leading political theorist Jeremy Bentham in 1808, and together they started a political movement that embraced philosophical radicalism. It was during this time that John Stuart Mill was indoctrinated with the economic theory, political thinking and social beliefs that would shape his later work. This general ideology became known as Utilitarianism and was practiced by Mill in his earlier years.
Further Reading
- Economic theory and natural philosophy – ideas.repec.org [PDF]
- The influence of economists in Parliament on British legislation from Ricardo to John Stuart Mill – www.journals.uchicago.edu [PDF]
