A Necessary Balance: Authority and the Extent of Individual Liberty in Mill's Analysis Anonymous College

The idea of pleasing the majority of a population has long been engrained into our decision-making processes. In the United States of America (US), the government itself is built on a platform that gives the power to the majority. The essay “On Liberty” by John Stuart Mill, notes how important the role of the majority is in society and politics, as majorities often abuse their power to oppress the minorities. Democracy has made it possible for the mass in control to exercise their power which can tyrannize the minority, limiting individual liberty. A political idea that has been considered the greatest form of government that allows the populace to rule as a collective group, is actually enabling the power holders to completely ignore the opinions and needs of minority groups. In “On Liberty” Mill discusses the struggle faced when deciding the limit of society’s power over an individual and how to protect the weaker members in society (Mill, p. 1010-1017).

Public opinion works hard to diminish the power of individuals that speak out against the majority. This creates a challenge for these individuals that disagree with the majority because their options include facing backlash from the opponents or to conform in order to have...