Birth of John Stuart Mill

John Stuart Mill was born on 20 May 1806 in Pentonville. A British philosopher and economist, Mill was one of the most influential liberal thinkers of the nineteenth century. Educated by his father, James Mill, in a rigorous program from early childhood, he developed and defended utilitarianism, in the book of that name. His essay On Liberty argued that society may restrict individual freedom only to prevent harm to others, and The Subjection of Women, written with his partner Harriet Taylor, made a case for gender equality. His Principles of Political Economy was a leading textbook. He served as a member of parliament, where he proposed votes for women.

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