Paternalistic means for antipaternalistic ends: State intervention and societal non-interference in John Stuart Mill

Abstract

In On Liberty John Stuart Mill defends individual liberty from any kind of interference that is not justified by self-protection. Paternalism, interfering in somebody?s liberty against his will in order to promote this person?s welfare, is forbidden by Mill?s ?one very simple principle?. However, numerous examples in other Mill?s works show that the famous utilitarian not only supports, but also suggests various paternalistic policies. In this paper I aim to offer an interpretation by which Mill was not indifferent toward the subject of a paternalistic action, and that there is a noteworthy difference between governmental (political), social and individual paternalism. Mill accepts the first kind of paternalism and rejects the other two in On Liberty. Such an interpretation might somewhat relieve Mill?s political thought from the burden of incoherence.