John Locke And John Stuart Mill - 1451 Words

Did the arguments of classical liberals, such as John Locke and John Stuart Mill, serve to legitimate European imperialism and the dispossession of indigenous peoples? John Locke has been informally known as the grandfather of liberalism. Similarly, John Stuart Mill is regarded as one of the early pioneers of the philosophy of liberalism (Armitage, n.d.). However, both of these liberalists have also been known to openly support the concept of empiricism. While no fool can tell that empiricism and liberalism are directly antagonist in nature and do not go hand in hand. How does this even make sense then? It is pertinent to look into the roots of the aforementioned concepts and decipher whether they negate or reinforce each other. Since its†¦show more content†¦Europeans have had always favoured colonialism perhaps due to the growing population pressures. Hence, it was always convenient to move towards a new area when the previous one became too cramped (Smith, 1991). The concept of British imperialism was justified on the grounds of self-proclamation of what is a human being and how they should function in societies (Toll, 2009). Parekh rightly notes that the North American natives were for long thought to be beasts with human bodies and this concept directly led to the higher value of the life of the imperialists. Christians, too, started exploiting on the natives under the pretext of their moral enlightenment (Parekh, 1997). This was the â€Å"Civilizing Project†, which paved way for attributing colonialism to something good rather than a blessing on the natives. The Classical Liberal theory rests in its very core on the foundation of equality of life and individuality of all humans. Hence, liberals perpetrate the idea of personal freedom and choice to go about one’s business as long as it doesn’t infringe or interfere with the rights of the other (Heywood, 2002). Locke was of the opinion that each individual is bestowed with certain versatile features which are distinct as must be respected. In an ideal form of government, every individual is hence free to pursue all that his individuality allows him to (Parekh, 1997). He believed that humans possess the ability to reason and cognition whichShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke And John Stuart Mill s On Liberty Essay1200 Words   |  5 Pagesthe role the individual plays in society and to the state. Whereas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill have developed a more modernized conception of liberty and the role of the individual to the state and society. Plato’s work th e Republic, and Aristotle’s works of literature Nicomachean Ethics, and Politics will be contrasted against Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, John Locke’s Second Treatise, and John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. The literature works of the Political Philosophers mentioned previouslyRead MoreStuart Mill and John Locke Conception of Freedom Essay1913 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction John Locke (1632-1704) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) are two important thinkers of liberty in modern political thought. They have revolutionized the idea of human freedom at their time and have influenced many political thinkers afterwards. Although their important book on human freedom, John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government (1689) and John Mill’s On Liberty (1859), are separated 170 years, some scholars thinks that they are belonging to the same conceptual tradition, EnglishRead MoreJohn Locke And John Stuart Mill s On Liberty Essay1748 Words   |  7 Pagesthe role the individual plays in society and to the state. Whereas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill have developed a more modernized conception of liberty and the role of the individual to the state and society. Plato’s work the Republic, and Aristotle’s works of literature Nicomachean Ethics, and Politics will be contrasted against Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan, John Loc ke’s Second Treatise, and John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty. The literature works of the political philosophers mentioned previouslyRead More Comparing John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau2026 Words   |  9 PagesComparing John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all dealt with the issue of political freedom within a society. John Lockes â€Å"The Second Treatise of Government†, Mills â€Å"On Liberty†, and Rousseau’s â€Å"Discourse On The Origins of Inequality† are influential and compelling literary works which while outlining the conceptual framework of each thinker’s ideal state present divergent visions of the very nature of man and hisRead MoreJohn Locke and John Stuart Mills Definition of Freedom Essay2029 Words   |  9 PagesJohn Locke and John Stuart Mills Definition of Freedom John Locke believes that man ought to have more freedom in political society than John Stuart Mill does. John Lockes The Second Treatise of Government and John Stuart Mills On Liberty are influential and potent literary works which while outlining the conceptual framework of each thinkers ideal state present two divergent visions of the very nature of man and his freedom. John Locke and John Stuart Mill have different views regarding howRead MoreLocke vs Mill1618 Words   |  7 Pagesby two of the greatest English philosophers, John Locke and John Stuart Mill. Locke and Mill men will attempt to uncover the mysteries of Liberty and Freedom and unveil the importance of being free. This essay will look at John Locke’s principle works† Second Treatise of government† and John Stuart Mills. â€Å" On Liberty and Other Essays†. This essay will attempt to compare and contrast Lockes ideology on Liberty and Freedom to that of Mill. John Locke was one of the greatest philosopher in EuropeRead MoreShould Slave Contracts be Legal?1278 Words   |  6 Pageswithout coercion are justified in a free society. The philosophies that best illustrate this moral idea are Robert Nozick’s theory of libertarianism and Fredrick Douglass’s theory of coerced slavery; and it is best negated by John Stuart Mill’s theory of utilitarianism and John Locke’s theory of classical libertarianism. Robert Nozick’s theory of libertarianism does specifically affirm non-coerced slave contracts, however Nozick best describes his reasoning in his work Anarchy State and Utopia, claimingRead MoreThe Protest Of The United States1576 Words   |  7 Pagesthat they are never ignored (Mather). The main point of the Two Treaties of Government was to illustrate John Locke’s idea that all men were created equal and naturally free. He went against the ideals of Robert Filmer who believed that humans were born to be subjugated by the monarchs of their time. Like the civil rights activist who influenced the BLM movement, Ella Baker believed, John Locke agreed that people, or â€Å"Nature† had a way of governing all of mankind. There was no need for subordinationRead MoreIndividual Liberty and The Bill 94 in Quebec, Canada1077 Words   |  5 Pagesliberty, Locke believes that each individual is the judge of their own actions (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2002). All individuals have a right to be free and a right to decide how they want to live without interference from the state. (Columbia Encyclopedia, 2002). Muslim women have the right to freely cover their face without limitations or discrimination from state authority. Bill 94 would terminate the individual choice o f Muslim women and interfere with their individual rights and liberty. Locke believesRead MoreConflicting Visions of Freedom in John Stuart Mill’s On Liberty and John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government1275 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Stuart Mill’s On Liberty and John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government are influential literary works while which outlining the theoretical framework of each thinkers optimal state propose two conflicting visions of the very essence of man and his freedom. Locke and Mill have completely different views when it comes to how much freedom man should have in political society because they have obtained different views about man’s potential of inheriting pure or evil behavior. In chapter two