Mill+summary


 * Chapter 3**:

Government can be judged by two standards:
 * It has been supposed that absolute despotic rule, when controlled by an all-powerful, righteous individual, would be the best form of government.
 * The public in this society would be blissfully ignorant. They would also not care about their country, as they are not at all involved in running it. They are all essentially slaves to this despot (despite how well he may treat them).
 * The best form of government is that in which the controlling power is held by the community as a whole, with every citizen taking some part in the government.
 * How far it promotes the good management of the affairs of society by means of the existing faculties of its various members?
 * What is its effect in improving of deteriorating those faculties?

This best form of government may not be practical in all states of civilization. There are also two principals with respect to human affairs:
 * That the rights and interests of every or any person are only secure from being disregarded when the person interested is himself able, and habitually disposed, to stand up for them.
 * The second is, that the general prosperity attains a greater height, and is more widely diffused, in proportion to the amount and variety of the personal energies enlisted in promoting it.


 * Chapter 4**:

Are there social conditions in which representative government is inapplicable? Three fundamental conditions for a government to permanently subsist:
 * 1) That the people should be willing to receive it.
 * 2) That they should be willing and able to do what is necessary for its preservation.
 * 3) That they should be willing and able to fulfill the duties and discharge the functions which it imposes on them.

There are two states on inclinations in people:
 * the desire to exercise power over others
 * the disinclination to have power exercised over themselves.


 * Chapter 6**:

A government which does not fulfill its necessary offices is defective.
 * One defect is not successfully exercising the moral, intellectual and active faculties of the people
 * People who are too independent to wish to be ruled are not ready for representative government

There are two causes of the dangers of government:
 * General ignorance and incapacity
 * Low grade intelligence in the representative body or in the popular opinion which controls it

Being under the influence of interests not in line with the welfare of the state
 * Legislation specific to a class
 * Those in power will naturally hold their own immediate interests in higher importance. Unfortunately, governments must be made of men, who are corrupted by power

• A government must limit these aforementioned dangers, while preserving benefits of representative government • Democracy is often the government of the whole people by a numerical majority • The natural tendency of representative government, as of modern civilization, is towards collective mediocrity
 * Chapter 7**:
 * Disenfranchises this minority.

• People constitute a Nationality if they cooperate with each other more willingly than with other people • This feeling of identity may be caused by • Free institutions are difficult in a country made up of different nationalities • Political obstacles exist when there are nearly equal amounts of different nationalities
 * Chapter 16**:
 * Race and descent
 * Language
 * Religion
 * Geographical restrictions
 * A collective history

How should dependencies acquired by conquest of colonization be governed? • Some dependencies are composes of similar civilizations to the ruling country, while others are very different • Other countries which have not attained that state and must be governed by the dominant country.
 * Chapter 18**:
 * Those which are similar are developed with the culture of the ruling country and are ready to be given a representative government
 * It is, however, always very difficult for a country to be ruled by foreigners
 * Sometimes the dominant country will do more harm to the country being ruled

Mill commences by extolling the virtues of England as a European power, ‘far exceeding any other in wealth, and in the power that wealth bestows’ and how English foreign policy is directed to non-intervention in the affairs of other nations – if only reciprocal. Action by the English Government in the international realm according to Mill, even if undertaken in the best intentions of mankind are viewed with suspicion by rival nations as though ulterior motives are at play (The example of the abolition of British Slavery is given).
 * A Few Words on Non-Intervention**

Mill continues to support British policy of non-interference by government in the speculations or private citizens even if those ventures are unsuccessful. Although the initial investor may not have benefited others who followed and improved the design of such a speculation may do so.

Concerning the interference in the affairs of other states, to wage aggressive war for an idea is equal to that of a criminal – nothing but revenue. No right to force ideas on others. However, Mill expands upon this to further justify war between more or less equitably civilised nations and war waged upon Barbarians. Barbarians cannot reciprocate ‘rules of ordinary international morality’ and have not progressed beyond the period in civilisation and as such conquest by a foreign party is in their best interests. Jus gentium cannot also be invoked to defend Barbarians from attack as Barbarian nations cannot exist.

Sometimes a nation is impelled to act due for moral reasons. To prevent brigandage in India, England was morally bound as the conqueror had destroyed the police/military capability of the former.

Intervention can be justified according to Mill in order to preserve non-intervention however with certain conditions and if the nation is not a barbarian. If party A invades party B and party c evicts party a) is always justified. Thus intervention is used to liberate a previously free society that had already found the 'Balance of forces for the permanent maintenance of freedom'.