John Stuart Mill

“The only power deserving the name is that of masses, and of governments while they make themselves the organ of the tendencies and instincts of masses.”

— John Stuart Mill

“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

“Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character had abounded and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and courage which it contained.”

— John Stuart Mill

“The amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of the time.”

— John Stuart Mill

“Popular opinions, on subjects not palpable to sense, are often true, but seldom or never the whole truth.”

— John Stuart Mill

“The most cogent reason for restricting the interference of government is the great evil of adding unnecessarily to its power.”

— John Stuart Mill

“The only part of the conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.”

— John Stuart Mill

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

— John Stuart Mill

“As for charity, it is a matter in which the immediate effect on the persons directly concerned, and the ultimate consequence to the general good, are apt to be at complete war with one another.”

— John Stuart Mill

“Of two pleasures, if there be one which all or almost all who have experience of both give a decided preference, irrespective of any feeling of moral obligation to prefer it, that is the more desirable pleasure.”

— John Stuart Mill

“Pleasure and freedom from pain, are the only things desirable as ends.”

— John Stuart Mill

“The person 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

“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

“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

“Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives.”

— John Stuart Mill

“Life has a certain flavor for those who have fought and risked all that the sheltered and protected can never experience.”

— John Stuart Mill

“Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men.”

— John Stuart Mill

“The general tendency of things throughout the world is to render mediocrity the ascendant power among mankind.”

— John Stuart Mill

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

— John Stuart Mill

“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