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John Stuart Mill Quotes - Page 10

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It is only in the backward countries of the world that increased production is still an important object.

It is only in the backward countries of the world that increased production is still an important object.

John Stuart Mill
Country, Countries Of The World, Important
John Stuart Mill, Jonathan Riley (1998). “Principles of Political Economy: And Chapters on Socialism”, p.127, Oxford University Press, USA

In a world in which there is so much to interest, so much to enjoy, and so much also to correct and improve, everyone who has this moderate amount of moral and intellectual requisites is capable of an existence which may be called enviable; and unless such a person, through bad laws, or subjection to the will of others, is denied the liberty to use the sources of happiness within his reach, he will not fail to find the enviable existence

John Stuart Mill
Law, Intellectual, Liberty
John Stuart Mill (2017). “Utilitarianism”, p.13, Coventry House Publishing

Despotism is a legitimate mode of government in dealing with barbarians, provided the end be their improvement.

John Stuart Mill
Government, Barbarians, Improvement
John Stuart Mill (1989). “J. S. Mill: 'On Liberty' and Other Writings”, p.13, Cambridge University Press

There is a limit to the legitimate interference of collective opinion with individual independence: and to find that limit, and maintain it against encroachment, is as indispensable to a good condition of human affairs, as protection against political despotism.

John Stuart Mill
Political, Independence, Limits
John Stuart Mill (1864). “On Liberty”, p.14

Eloquence is heard; poetry is overheard ... All poetry is of the nature of the soliloquy.

John Stuart Mill
Art, Poetry, Heard
John Stuart Mill (1969). “Autobiography, and Other Writings”

All the good of which humanity is capable is comprised in obedience.

John Stuart Mill
Humanity, Obedience, Capable
John Stuart Mill (1875). “On Liberty”, p.36

Money is a machine for doing quickly and commodiously what would be done, though less quickly and commodiously, without it.

John Stuart Mill
Would Be, Machines, Done
John Stuart Mill (1864). “Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy”, p.23

It is a bitter thought, how different a thing the Christianity of the world might have been, if the Christian faith had been adopted as the religion of the empire under the auspices of Marcus Aurelius instead of those of Constantine.

John Stuart Mill
Christian, Different, World
John Stuart Mill (1859). “On Liberty”, p.50

The true virtue of human beings is fitness to live together as equals; claiming nothing for themselves but what they as freely concede to everyone else; regarding command of any kind as an exceptional neccessity, and in all cases a temporary one.

John Stuart Mill
Together, Kind, Virtue
John Stuart Mill (2012). “The Subjection of Women”, p.43, Courier Corporation

The habit of analysis has a tendency to wear away the feelings.

John Stuart Mill
Math, Feelings, Analysis
Autobiography v (p. 116)

The moment one asks himself whether he is happy, he ceases to be so.

John Stuart Mill
Moments, Asks, Cease

There is one characteristic of the present direction of public opinion, peculiarly calculated to make it intolerant of any marked demonstration of individuality. The general average of mankind are not only moderate in intellect, but also moderate in inclinations: they have no tastes or wishes strong enough to incline them to do anything unusual, and they consequently do not understand those who have, and class all such with the wild and intemperate whom they are accustomed to look down upon.

John Stuart Mill
Strong, Average, Class
John Stuart Mill (1989). “J. S. Mill: 'On Liberty' and Other Writings”, p.69, Cambridge University Press

Men might as well be imprisoned, as excluded from the means of earning their bread.

John Stuart Mill
Mean, Men, Might
John Stuart Mill (2008). “Utilitarianism and On Liberty: Including 'Essay on Bentham' and Selections from the Writings of Jeremy Bentham and John Austin”, p.112, John Wiley & Sons

It is a law, that every event depends on some law.

John Stuart Mill
Science, Law, Events
"The Collected Works of John Stuart Mill".

A person whose desires and impulses are his own - are the expression of his own nature, as it has been developed and modified by his own culture - is said to have a character. One whose desires and impulses are not his own, has no character, no more than a steam-engine has character.

John Stuart Mill
Character, Expression, Desire
John Stuart Mill (2015). “On Liberty, Utilitarianism and Other Essays”, p.59, OUP Oxford

Among the facts of the universe to be accounted for, it may be said, is Mind; and it is self evident that nothing can have produced Mind but Mind.

John Stuart Mill
Philosophy, Self, Mind
John Stuart Mill (1874). “Nature, the Utility of Religion, and Theism”, p.150

The successful conduct of an industrial enterprise requires two quite distinct qualifications: fidelity and zeal.

John Stuart Mill
Successful, Two, Fidelity
John Stuart Mill (1870). “Principles of Political Economy: With Some of Their Applications to Social Philosophy”, p.184

I will call no being good who is not what I mean when I apply that epithet to my fellow creatures; and if such a creature can sentence me to hell for not so calling him, to hell I will go .

John Stuart Mill
Mean, Calling, Hell
'Examination of Sir William Hamilton's Philosophy' (1865) ch. 7

The English, of all ranks and classes, are at bottom, in all their feelings, aristocrats. They have some concept of liberty, and set some value on it, but the very idea of equality is strange and offensive to them. They do not dislike to have many people above them as long as they have some below them.

John Stuart Mill
Class, Ideas, Long

Ask yourself whether you are happy and you cease to be so. The only chance is to treat not happiness, but some end external to it, as the purpose of life.

John Stuart Mill
Purpose, Chance, Ends
John Stuart Mill, Thomas Carlyle (2010). “Autobiography of J.S. Mill & on Liberty; Characteristics, Inaugural Address at Edinburgh & Sir Walter Scott”, p.94, Cosimo, Inc.

If I have accomplished anything, I owe it, among other fortunate circumstances, to the fact that through the early training bestowed on me by my father, I started, I may fairly say, with an advantage of a quarter of a century over my contemporaries.

John Stuart Mill
Father, Training, May
John Stuart Mill (2013). “Autobiography”, p.19, Simon and Schuster

In its narrowest acceptation, order means obedience. A government is said to preserve order if it succeeds in getting itself obeyed.

John Stuart Mill
Mean, Government, Order
John Stuart Mill (2015). “On Liberty, Utilitarianism and Other Essays”, p.273, OUP Oxford

[I] put the question directly to myself: "Suppose that all your objects in life were realized; that all the changes in institutions and opinions which you are looking forward to, could be completely effected at this very instant: would this be a great joy and happiness to you?" And an irrepressible self-consciousness distinctly answered, "No!

John Stuart Mill
Self, Joy, Opinion
John Stuart Mill (2007). “Autobiography of John Stuart Mill”, p.94, Cosimo, Inc.

Even if the received opinion be not only true, but the whole truth; unless it is suffered to be, and actually is, vigorously and earnestly contested, it will, by most of those who receive it, be held in the manner of a prejudice, with little comprehension or feeling of its rational grounds

John Stuart Mill
Truth, Feelings, Prejudice
John Stuart Mill (1859). “On Liberty”, p.95

The opening of a foreign trade, by making them acquainted with new objects, or tempting them by the easier acquisition of things which they had not previously thought attainable, sometimes works a sort of industrial revolution in a country whose resources were previously undeveloped for want of energy and ambition in the people: inducing those who were satisfied with scanty comforts and little work, to work harder for the gratification of their new tastes, and even to save, and accumulate capital, for the still more complete satisfaction of those tastes at a future time.

John Stuart Mill
Country, Ambition, Hard Work
John Stuart Mill (2016). “Principles of Political Economy: Mill's Works”, p.237, VM eBooks

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