| Show the sphere of government the object of this esay is to assert one very simple principle as entitled to govern absolutely the dealings of society with the ha individual in the way of compulsion and control whether the means used be physical force in the form of legal penalties or the moral coercion of public opinion that principle is that the sole end for which mankind are war ranted in interfering with the liberty of action of any of ot their number is self protection that the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community against his will t is to prevent harm barm to others his own good either physical or moral is not nota aa sufficient warrant he cannot rightfully be to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so because it will make him happier because in the opinion ot of others to do so would be wise or even right the only part of the conduct of any one for which he is amenable to society is that which concerns others human liberty demands liberty ot ol conscience in the most comprehensive sense liberty of thought and feeling absolute freedom of opinion and sentiment on all subjects practical or speculative scientific moral or theological the the liberty of publishing and expressing opinions may seem to tali fall under a different principle since it belongs to that part of the conduct of an individual which concerns other people but being of almost as much importance as the liberty of thought itself and resting in great part on the same rea ons is is practically inseparably from it no society is completely free in which these liberties do not exist absolutely sol and unqualified the opinion which it is attempted to suppress by authority may possibly be true those who desire to su suppress p press it of course deny its truth but bu t they are not infallible they have no authority to decide the question for all mankind to refuse a hearing to an opinion because they are sure that it is false is to assume that their certainty is the same thing as absolute certainty if all mankind minus mimis one were of one opinion and only one person were to be found of a contrary ion mankind would be no more ius tidied in silencing that one than h he if he had the power would be justi fled fied in si encina mankind strange it is that men should admit the validity of arguments for free discussion but object to their being pushed to an extreme not seeing that unless reasons are good for an extreme case they are not good for any case strange that they should imagine that they are not assuming infallibility when they acknowledge that ehte re should be free discussion on all subjects which can possibly be doubtful but think that some particular principle or doctrine should be forbidden to be questioned because it is so certain that is because they are certain that it is certain but I 1 must be permitted to observe that it is not the feeling sure of a doctrine be it what it may which I 1 calt an assumption of infallibility it is the undertaking to decide that question for others without allowing them to hear what can be said on the contrary side and I 1 denounce and reprobate this pretension not the less if put forth on the side of myse solemn convictions no one can be a great thinker who does not recognize that as a thinker it is his first duty to follow his intellect to whatever conclusions irmay lead but the strongest of all the arguments against the interference of the public with purely personal conduct is that when it does interfere the odds are that it interferes wrongly and in the wrong place the opinion of a m majority imposed as a law on the minority on questions of self regarding conduct is quite as likely to be wrong as right for in these cases public ion means at the best some peoples fie s 0 opinion i n in i n of what is good or bad for or other jee r p while very often it does not mean that thai the public with the most perfect indifference passing over the pleasure or convenience of those whose conduct they censure and considering only their own preference there are many who consider as an injury to themselves any conduct which they have a distaste for and resent it as at ar outrage on their feelings as a religious bigot when charged with disregarding the religious feelings of others has ha been known to retort that they disregard his feelings by persisting in their abominable worship or creed but there is no parity betat en the feeling of a person for foi his own opinion and the feeling of another who is offended at his holding it no more than between the desire of a thief to take a purse and the desire of the right owner to keep it aind nd a persons taste is as much his own peculiar concern as his opinion or his purse john stuart mills essay on liberty |
