Personal Development And Social Progress——the Thought Of John Mill’s Social Reform

As a well-known thinker, John Stuart Mill made great achievements in the field of political science, economics, ethnics, logic and religion in modern times. On liberty is considered as the most classical depiction of personal freedom; Utilitarianism improves the utilitarian ethical system founded by Bentham and other people, which led to the prosperity of the utilitarianism; A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive which established Mill’s five methods, tries to disprove Aristotle’s deductive reasoning. Accordingly, his ideas about social reform were born during the process of his research on these theories.Mill’s childhood education guides him to focus on the social reality. He is determined to devote himself to the social reform and the creation of human happiness. The Industrial Revolution stimulates the development of the economy and changes the social structure. The bourgeoisie and proletariat boards the stage of history and propels the political reforms. The class contradictions springs up and other social contradictions are continually revealed. While absorbed in the theoretical research, Mill makes earnest efforts to solve social problems, which means that his ideas about social reform are closely connected with the reality.Utilitarianism is the theoretical basis of Mill’s ideas about social reform. It underlines that massive happiness is the foundation of morality, and the rationality of behavior is positively in proportion to happiness. The pursuit of higher happiness is to seek personal improvement and perfection, which must fit the public interest so as to realize the maximization of the massive happiness and the progress of the whole society. Mill’s view of freedom concentrates on the social freedom, which discusses the nature and limitation of personal right endowed by the society. Mill emphasizes the importance of personal freedom as well as personal character. He considers that the latter helps people to gain the best, and promotes the whole society. Whilst his utilitarianism pays close attention to the maximization of the general good, Mill’s liberal ideas stress personal development. The neo political economics from the continental Europe brings fresh air to Mill’s ideas about social reform. Through the research on the political economics of Saint Simon school, Mill starts to care about the working class and the production and distribution of the society. He continually revises his theory of political economics to solve the practical problems. The study of Tocqueville’s democratic theory is conducive to better understanding democracy, which is indeed helpful during the establishment of the theory of the representative system. His effort to improve Comte’s positivism deepens his own ideas of progress, which gives equal importance to both personal freedom and social progress.Based on the theoretical research and combined with the actual problems, Mill presents his own blueprint of social reform. Politically, the state should carry out the representative system and pursue the separation of the three powers to make the perfect combination of the principles of participation and ability which features superiority of democracy. Economically, Mill encourages cooperation and competition. Cooperation may eliminate the traditional relationship between employer and employee, and promote the social prosperity and living standard. Competition may impel the workers to bring their superiority into full play and strengthen the development of the productive forces. By improving the private property system, it may work out better for the general good. The state regulates the production and distribution to readjust the social capital to promote the social equity and progress. Culturally, Mill focuses on the intellectual and moral education. Mill advocates that the intellectual and moral progress is more important than the growth of wealth. Education is the only way to make that happen, and the universal improvement depends on the reform of the education, which would bring about the according political, economic and social regime.In order to clarify the development of his ideas and deepen our understanding towards the context and theoretical basis of his ideas of social reform, this paper treats personal freedom and social progress as the thread of Mill’s ideas about social reform, and probes into the theoretical origins of these views. During the elaboration, this paper concentrates on the specific plans about social reform so as to lay stress on the vital roles of personal development and social progress. Finally, combined with the historical context and the evolution of Mill’s thoughts, this paper briefly makes comments on the nature and influence of his ideas. Through the systematical analyses, this paper attempts to present a clearer and more complete image of Mill in front of us.