Harm Principle

To adequately address these questions, it is crucial to consider the limits, competence, and consequences of imposing restrictions. John Stuart Mill’s essay “On Liberty” introduces the concept of the “harm principle,” which asserts that the only justification for interfering with an individual’s liberty is to prevent harm to others. Mill distinguishes between “self-regarding” actions, which only affect the individual, and “other-regarding” actions, which have consequences for others. He argues that while the state has no right to interfere with self-regarding actions, it may intervene to prevent harm caused by other-regarding actions.

However, the constraint of freedom should only occur in specific circumstances, particularly when the harm caused is serious. Mill suggests that for minor harm, social disapproval is sufficient, and legal punishment should be reserved for actions causing serious harm to individuals. Society should tolerate diverse lifestyles, viewpoints, and interests as long as they do not harm others. However, tolerance should not extend to views or actions that endanger or promote hatred towards others.

Regarding dress codes, various situations raise questions about the justification and authority behind imposing restrictions. For instance, during Mao’s regime in China, the mandatory wearing of “Mao suits” was argued to promote equality. Similarly, restrictions on dress in sports, schools, or religious contexts raise debates about their necessity and impact on freedom of expression.

In constitutional discussions, such constraints are often termed “reasonable restrictions,” meaning they must be justifiable by reason and not excessive or disproportionate to the action being restricted. Developing a habit of imposing restrictions could undermine freedom in society. Therefore, any constraints imposed should be carefully evaluated to ensure they do not unduly limit individual freedom.

Freedom| Class 11 Political Science Notes

Freedom means being able to do what you want and enjoy the value of your actions. There are two types: positive and negative. Positive freedom includes rights that help you develop without harming others. Negative freedom means there are no limits on what you can do. Freedom comes in different forms natural, civil, political, economic, and religious. To protect freedom, we have things like democracy, equal rights, economic security, and constitutional laws.

In this article, we are going to discuss about Freedom in detail.

Freedom| Class 11 Political Science Notes

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