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John Stuart Mill Quotes

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A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.

A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.

John Stuart Mill
Life, Evil, Accountability
John Stuart Mill, G. W. Smith (1998). “John Stuart Mill's Social and Political Thought: Freedom”, p.110, Taylor & Francis

The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant.

John Stuart Mill
War, Power, Libertarian Party
On Liberty ch. 1 (1859)

Although it is not true that all conservatives are stupid people, it is true that most stupid people are conservative.

John Stuart Mill
Stupid, People, Conservative

There is always hope when people are forced to listen to both sides.

John Stuart Mill
Inspirational, People, Listening
John Stuart Mill (1864). “On Liberty”, p.94

In the long-run, the best proof of a good character is good actions.

John Stuart Mill
Running, Character, Long
John Stuart Mill (1870). “Utilitarianism”, p.30

Truth emerges from the clash of adverse ideas.

John Stuart Mill
Ideas, Clash, Adverse

Liberty lies in the rights of that person whose views you find most odious.

John Stuart Mill
Philosophy, Lying, Rights

So Long as we do not harm others we should be free to think, speak, act, & live as we see fit, without molestation from individuals, law, or gov't.

John Stuart Mill
Thinking, Law, Long

If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.

John Stuart Mill
Freedom, Philosophy, Differences
On Liberty ch. 2 (1859)

I have learned to seek my happiness by limiting my desires, rather than in attempting to satisfy them.

John Stuart Mill
Inspirational, Happiness, Being Happy
"The Phrenological Journal and Science of Health". "The Phrenological Journal and Science of Health", Vol. LXXXV, p. 170, September, 1887.

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse.

John Stuart Mill
Military, War, Patriotic
"The Contest in America", Fraser's Magazine, February 1862.

How can great minds be produced in a country where the test of great minds is agreeing in the opinion of small minds?

John Stuart Mill
Country, Greatness, Mind

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. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.

John Stuart Mill
Spiritual, Freedom, Health
John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham, John Troyer (2003). “The Classical Utilitarians: Bentham and Mill”, p.160, Hackett Publishing

A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.

John Stuart Mill
Freedom, War, Military

The love of power and the love of liberty are in eternal antagonism.

John Stuart Mill
Liberty, Authority, Antagonism
John Stuart Mill, Harriet Taylor Mill (1970). “Essays on Sex Equality”, p.238, University of Chicago Press

It is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a pig satisfied.

John Stuart Mill
Pigs, Satisfied, Dissatisfied
Utilitarianism ch. 2 (1861)

The pupil who is never required to do what he cannot do, never does what he can do.

John Stuart Mill
Education, Children, Teaching

What distinguishes the majority of men from the few is their inability to act according to their beliefs.

John Stuart Mill
Men, Majority, Inability

The human faculties of perception, judgment, discriminative feeling, mental activity, and even moral preference, are exercised only in making a choice. He who does anything because it is the custom, makes no choice.

John Stuart Mill
Choices, Feelings, Perception
John Stuart Mill (1989). “J. S. Mill: 'On Liberty' and Other Writings”, p.59, Cambridge University Press

All silencing of discussion is an assumption of infallibility.

John Stuart Mill
Silence, Assumption, Absolute Certainty
John Stuart Mill (2012). “On Liberty”, p.15, Courier Corporation

There are many truths of which the full meaning cannot be realized until personal experience has brought it home.

John Stuart Mill
Truth, Home, Experience
John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham, John Troyer (2003). “The Classical Utilitarians: Bentham and Mill”, p.183, Hackett Publishing

The moral influence of woman over man is almost always salutary.

John Stuart Mill
Men, Morality, Moral

There is an imaginary circle drawn around every human being, over which no government should be able to step.

John Stuart Mill
Government, Circles, Able

One person with a belief is equal to ninety-nine who have only interests.

John Stuart Mill
Inspirational, Life, Motivational

The liberty of the individual must be thus far limited; he must not make himself a nuisance to other people.

John Stuart Mill
People, Liberty, Nuisance
On Liberty ch. 3 (1859)

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