Analysing J.S.Mill ( I )

By Jorge Aliaga Cacho

To explain how John Stuart Mill constructed his theory of government and particularly his belief that 'the best government is that which is more conducive to progress', I would like to affirm that according to J.S, Mill there are certain kinds of societies which he considered unfit to hold this policy.

I would like briefly to refer to this form of society as unfit to promote a good form of government and, according to Mill, incapable of being conducive to progress. The allusion to such societies considered, by the process of elimination, can give us clarity and better understanding when arguing Mill`s considerations about a qualified government.

First, Mill considered societies with no legal infrastructure barbaric and unqualified for representative government. For this kind of society, Mill recommended despotic rather than representative government. Representative government, as we will see later was for Mill synonymous with' the best government'.

A second disqualifying characteristic of representative government and not conducive to progress, according to Mill, is a society which is extremely localised and, according to Mill, 'prevented the amalgamation into even the smallest nation'. Mill argued that social progress was only possible once people had overcome this extreme localism and were willing to be united in a political community of reasonable size. Mill also recommended a despotic government for this localist society.

A third disabling characteristic for representative government and not conducive to progress, Mill argued, is the kind of society exemplified by feudal Europe in the Middle Ages, where the extreme social inequalities made this society unfit for representative government and not conducive to progress, Mill argued, is the kind of society exemplified by feudal Europe in the Middle Ages, where the extreme social inequalities made this society unfit for representative government, because if people had the choice they would simply endorse the rule of their superiors. For this kind of society Mill also recommended despotism which at least enabled society to move forward by destroying the power of the upper class.

The fourth disqualifying characteristic of representative government is the lack of, at least, a minimum of public spirit which is a requirement for representative government. Societies, which have no concern for the public good, according to Mill, lead to corruption, extreme instability, selfishness and the rule of political adventurers.

To sum up, to be fit for representative government and conducive to progress, according to Mill, society needs to have the following: the rule of law, a degree of national sentiment, a minimum of political spirit and some degree of social equality.

( To be continued )