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Political Ideas: Mill, on Liberty

Self-regarding and other-regarding conduct

  • 3 things to know
  • A2 Unit 2

Overview

Self-regarding conduct, other-regarding conduct and consequences Mill accepts may fall on self-regarding faults.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Evaluation

Why is the distinction between self-regarding and other-regarding conduct essential to Mill's whole argument?

Key term

Explain the doctrine of social rights that Mill attacks.

Key term

Define self-regarding conduct.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Define self-regarding conduct.

    Model answer

    Self-regarding conduct is action whose consequences fall on the agent alone, or on others only with their free and informed consent. Mill places such conduct wholly outside the authority of society.

  2. 2

    Define other-regarding conduct.

    Model answer

    Other-regarding conduct is action that affects the interests of people who have not consented to bear its effects. Society may legitimately regulate such conduct where it causes harm.

  3. 3

    Why is the distinction essential to Mill's whole argument?

    Model answer

    The distinction supplies the boundary line the harm principle draws, marking off a protected sphere of individual sovereignty from the sphere society may govern. Without it the principle would have no application.

  4. 4

    State the consequences Mill accepts may fall on self-regarding faults.

    Model answer

    Mill accepts that others may avoid a person, caution their friends against him, and give preference to others in matters that are their own concern. Such consequences are the natural results of the conduct itself rather than punishments deliberately inflicted.

  5. 5

    How does Mill distinguish those natural consequences from punishment?

    Model answer

    Punishment is inflicted deliberately by law or by organised social pressure with the intention of making the person suffer for his choice. Simply choosing not to associate with someone exercises the other person's own liberty and is therefore legitimate.

  6. 6

    Give three faults Mill classifies as self-regarding.

    Model answer

    Mill classifies rashness, obstinacy and self-conceit as self-regarding faults, along with intemperance and the inability to live within moderate means. Such faults make a person a proper object of distaste but not of punishment.

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