English philosopher, political economist, and liberal John Stuart Mill published one of his most famous works in 1859: On Liberty. Mill explores the innate and given liberties of people, analyzing what is the extent in which society or government has valid reasons to exercise power over its people. He argues that the individual should not be under the jurisdiction of society or government if their actions are not harming anyone but themselves. The only time society or government should involve themselves and exert power over citizens is if the actions of the individual are harming others within the society. To contextualize this idea, it is important to look into modern day examples of this idea. For example, alcohol, although harmful to the
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Liberalism emphasizes freedom, liberty, and individuality particularly in democracies where property ownership, civil rights, religion, and individual liberty came into play. Liberalist favored the idea of democracies as opposed to societies with aristocracies and a monarchy that limited liberty and freedom. Liberalism, according to Mill allows “each person [to] becomes more valuable to himself, and is therefore capable of being more valuable to others.” This philosophy focuses on the individual, and how the individual implicates their own role in society, this is evident when Mill claims, “works partake the character of those who do them, by the same process human life also becomes rich, diversified, and animating…making the race infinitely better worth belonging to.” Therefore, liberalism aims for the betterment of the individual for a definite good for society. However, when society excerpts power over an individual it is “not affecting their good, by their mere displeasure, develops nothing valuable, except such force of character as may unfold itself in resisting the …show more content…
Karl Marx presented Marxism as a way of understanding class divisions in the world that were based on the emphasis on materialism. Marx proposed a society without money or class divisions, diminishing the idea of materialism and capitalism, instead offering that equality in a society is based on how a society is run. Marx’s claims stemmed from an ideological perspective that individuals are more inclined to their wants instead of their needs, he offers that a society must work in a way where not just one individual but an entire society must give what they can to their state or government and take what they need not what they want. Doing this, Marx argues, will remove class conflict and monetary disparities. Marx idealized a utopia of equality for all, not just a certain few. Marx’s philosophy became a fundamental theory behind many communist governments that developed in the years to follow. As opposed to liberalist perspective Marx argued that “that real freedom is to be found positively in our relations with other people” instead of focusing solely on our individual needs and actions, we must focus on others around us as
Liberalism emphasizes freedom, liberty, and individuality particularly in democracies where property ownership, civil rights, religion, and individual liberty came into play. Liberalist favored the idea of democracies as opposed to societies with aristocracies and a monarchy that limited liberty and freedom. Liberalism, according to Mill allows “each person [to] becomes more valuable to himself, and is therefore capable of being more valuable to others.” This philosophy focuses on the individual, and how the individual implicates their own role in society, this is evident when Mill claims, “works partake the character of those who do them, by the same process human life also becomes rich, diversified, and animating…making the race infinitely better worth belonging to.” Therefore, liberalism aims for the betterment of the individual for a definite good for society. However, when society excerpts power over an individual it is “not affecting their good, by their mere displeasure, develops nothing valuable, except such force of character as may unfold itself in resisting the …show more content…
Karl Marx presented Marxism as a way of understanding class divisions in the world that were based on the emphasis on materialism. Marx proposed a society without money or class divisions, diminishing the idea of materialism and capitalism, instead offering that equality in a society is based on how a society is run. Marx’s claims stemmed from an ideological perspective that individuals are more inclined to their wants instead of their needs, he offers that a society must work in a way where not just one individual but an entire society must give what they can to their state or government and take what they need not what they want. Doing this, Marx argues, will remove class conflict and monetary disparities. Marx idealized a utopia of equality for all, not just a certain few. Marx’s philosophy became a fundamental theory behind many communist governments that developed in the years to follow. As opposed to liberalist perspective Marx argued that “that real freedom is to be found positively in our relations with other people” instead of focusing solely on our individual needs and actions, we must focus on others around us as