John Stuart Mill; His Life and Works eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 87 pages of information about John Stuart Mill; His Life and Works.

John Stuart Mill; His Life and Works eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 87 pages of information about John Stuart Mill; His Life and Works.
to promote the practical success of those objects the advocacy of which forms the chief feature of his political writings.  It is rather a measure of his success in promoting these objects, and of the disgust with which his success is regarded by those who are opposed to his political ideas.  It was known, or ought to have been known, by every one who supported Mr. Mill’s candidature in 1865, that he was a powerful advocate of proportional representation, and that he attributed the very greatest importance to the political, industrial, and social emancipation of women; he advocated years ago, in his “Political Economy,” the scheme of land tenure reform with which his name is now practically associated; his essay “On Liberty” left no doubt as to his opinions upon the value of maintaining freedom of thought and speech, his article entitled “A Few Words on Non-intervention” might have warned the partisans of the Manchester school that he had no sympathy with their views on foreign policy.  There is little doubt that the majority of Mr. Mill’s supporters in 1865 did not know what his political opinions were, and that they voted for him simply on his reputation as a great thinker.  A large number, however, probably supported him, knowing in a general way the views advocated in his writings, but thinking that he would probably be like many other politicians, and not allow his practice to be in the least degree influenced by his theories.  Just as radical heirs apparent are said to lay aside all inconvenient revolutionary opinions when they come to the throne, it was believed that Mr. Mill in Parliament would be an entirely different person from Mr. Mill in his study.  It was one thing to write an essay in favor of proportional representation it was another thing to assist in the insertion of the principle of proportional representation in the Reform Bill, and to form a school of practical politicians who took care to insure the adoption of this principle in the school board elections.  It was one thing to advocate theoretically the claims of women to representation it was another to introduce the subject into the House of Commons, to promote an active political organization in its favor, and thus to convert it, from a philosophical dream, into a question of pressing and practical importance.  It was one thing to advocate freedom of thought and discussion in all political and religious questions it was another to speak respectfully of Mr. Odger, and to send Mr. Bradlaugh a contribution toward the expenses of his candidature for Northampton.  The discovery that Mr. Mill’s chief objects in Parliament were the same as his chief objects out of Parliament branded him at once as an unpractical man:  and his success in promoting these objects constituted his “failure” as a politician.  His fearless disregard of unpopularity, as manifested in his prosecution, in conjunction with Mr. P.A.  Taylor, of Ex-Governor Eyre, was another proof that he was entirely unlike the people who call themselves “practical politicians.”  His persistency in conducting this prosecution was one of the main causes of his defeat at the election of 1868.

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John Stuart Mill; His Life and Works from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.