On Liberty · Chapters
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Chapter companions for On Liberty by John Stuart Mill.
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Chapter 1
I
This chapter provides a biographical overview of John Stuart Mill's life, from his birth in 1806 and his rigorous education under his father, through his career at India House, his literary and philosophical works, his marriage to Harriet Taylor, his time in Parliament, and his final years in Avignon, culminating in his death in 1873.
Chapter 2
II
This chapter examines the profound intellectual and personal influence of Harriet Taylor Mill on John Stuart Mill's life and work, particularly focusing on her role in the creation of 'On Liberty' and other major writings. It details their meeting in 1831, the development of their relationship, their eventual marriage in 1851, and the controversy among Mill's contemporaries regarding her merits. The chapter also explores the specific contributions she made to Mill's 'Principles of Political Economy' and 'The Subjection of Women', while noting Mill's own claims about his originality in logic and abstract science.
Chapter 3
III
This chapter examines John Stuart Mill's 'On Liberty' as a work that bridges 18th-century individualism and 19th-century social organicism. It contrasts the older view of pre-existing individual rights with the emerging sociological perspective (influenced by Comte) that the state is prior to the individual. The chapter argues that while society can become tyrannical, Mill's defense of individual revolt against uniformity remains eternally important for progress and diversity. It also reflects on Harriet Taylor Mill's influence on Mill and his grief after her death.
Chapter 4
Dedication
John Stuart Mill dedicates his work to the memory of his wife, Harriet Taylor Mill, acknowledging her as the inspiration and co-author of much of his writing, and lamenting her death before she could provide her final revisions.
Chapter 5
Epigraph
The epigraph introduces the central principle of the work: the paramount importance of human development in its richest diversity, as expressed by Wilhelm von Humboldt.
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