Liberalism, both classical and modern, emphasizes that people in an organized society must have toleration for their neighbors. This foundation grants that certain individuals will make and therefore learn from their own mistakes, similarly that they may choose not to acknowledge wrongdoing and exist in a state of ignorance. Toleration must root from a place of respect and acceptance, in which no individual should ever impose or force their beliefs unto another without mutual consent. It is through protecting those rights of other individuals that liberals fulfill their duty to the “common good.”
Montesquieu, philosopher of republicanism, Locke, and Mill all believed in the importance of the availability of education. The three philosophers also emphasized the importance of religious tolerance, where Mill believed this was perhaps the only case of a society having true interest in the public good and true individual freedom without self-interest. Montesquieu, sometimes thought of as an Enlightenment thinker, is said to have thought, through reason we can figure out the truth. Ironically, liberals Locke and Mill believed humans have the equal ability to reason what their universal moral duties are. Although these are two different principles of thought, they sound to me rather similar, shown through the fact that all three thinkers put an emphasis on the availability of public education. It is education that fosters and individual’s internal thoughts, therefore his freedom as a nonconformist thinker, separate from subservience to society and/or government.
Similar to discussions on Montesquieu, Locke and Mill would say one should not impose their own will on other people. On a larger scale, this imposition becomes imperialism, which morphs into tyranny, as shown when the Roman republic began to infiltrate outside its own walls. It is this same case in the legacy of Western Elitism; “it is a fool’s errand to spread democracy.” Democracy may run smoothly within our country, but one must consider the United States was built on a democratic foundation. It is a democratic nation not because imperialists came onto American soil and forced it upon them, but because Americans rebelled against the British Empire and established for themselves a new way of life. It is crucial to recognize and understand this severe difference in circumstance so that we may someday stop stepping on the toes of other countries. Sure, it was the belief of liberals that one should protect the rights of their neighbors to benefit the common good, however it was also guiding principle that one should never force another to do something in an egocentric manner.
As, according to Mill, humans are self-interested creatures, the morals defined and implemented by laws both societal and legal are not in place for the progress of society. The rules of conduct established by those who assume power, according to Mill, are self-interested. This self-interest leads to despotism not as a tyranny of government, but as a social tyranny. Mill refers to this “tyranny of the majority” as being included among the evils against which society requires to be on its highest guard. The tendency for a mass society to conform unintentionally erases free thought, infringing upon what Mill says is our greatest freedom as human beings, preventing individual happiness.
Locke believed government was a “necessary evil,” and I believe this to stand true. Sure, citizens need a legislative and executive structure which will sustain peace among our society, however it would be absolutely ignorant, after the countless cases proving so, that the government itself has not been and does not continue to be a series of under-the-table exchanges. This corruption is frankly unavoidable when humans are put into power, whether they are a dictator, king, or president. According to the liberal way of thought, all humans are innately self-interested creatures, and it is impossible to imprint righteous morals on someone from tabula rasa. Just as republicanism was claimed by liberals to have been in place to justify aristocracy, liberalism continues to be stretched across varying U.S. schools of thought for the benefit of he who is doing the stretching. The reality is that every human is born into a society that has been previously corrupted by those to come before him… and therefore this cycle is unavoidable.
Mill believed that the public came to develop tunnel vision when it came to its government. They either acted or did not act, depending on their own self-interest in the matter, and the likelihood the government would actually do something to change it. The shift in concern should turn to defining what the purpose of a government should be, according to Mill. He was a utilitarian who believed everything should be done in the interests of man as a progressive being.
The greatest power humans have over this world is our thoughts. Of course, communication and language allow us to share and exchange these thoughts, however it is the thoughts that seed within our own minds that hold the greatest potential. Recognizing this great power and learning to manipulate it for the good of ourselves and the society in which we live, according to Mill, is the greatest human liberty. Unfortunately, Americans tend not to reap the benefits of their own minds, grabbing into the thoughts of others for ideas and answers. Americans have the empowering right to express opinion, where in so many countries individuals are denied this right by their government.
According to Mill, the liberty of thought, of expressing opinions, and the freedom to unite together define a truly free society. Looking at 2013 America, we may be on our way, however we are not wholly free. Society defines for us what is right and wrong to believe. Our positions on topics are not totally original with the constant drilling of the media. Unlike fifty years ago, interracial marriage is now legal, however same-sex marriage remains a wildly controversial debate. Again, liberals believe everyone has the same moral obligations that we may reason to find. It is the widespread social beliefs imposed by close-minded individuals that must be avoided so that upcoming generations will form their own conscience. As free thinkers, Americans must break through the conformism and truly express themselves raw to remain the self-sovereign society the nation was built on.
