Biographies

John Stuart Mill's Immortal Case for Toleration

John Stuart Mill’s essay On Liberty (1859) is the most famous work about toleration in the English language. It is clear, concise, logical, and passionate. It defends toleration—of thought, speech, and individuality—as a practical means to promote happiness for the greatest number of people. The book inspired generations of classical liberal thinkers, and today it is probably the only historic work about toleration that most people ever read.