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Mill On Individuality Essay

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The viewpoints on individuality were presented differently in Marx and Engels’ Communist Manifesto and Mill’s On Liberty . Marx and Engels view on individuality is that it will lead to private property, and when labour cannot be transformed into an asset then the individuality vanishes (Marx, Engels, pg. 486). Contrary to the beliefs of Marx and Engels in Mill’s chapter: “Of Individuality, as One of the Elements of Well-Being,” Mill outlines his argument in this chapter by stating that individuality allows a person to be unique, which brings in an aura of creativity, and “each person becomes more valuable to himself, and is therefore capable of being more valuable to others (Mill, pg. 62).” Mill also believes that individuality stimulates social progress. I believe that Mill’s theory of individuality for freedom of ideas will allow for the development of progress as opposed to Marx and Engels viewpoint of hostility towards …show more content…

91).” Also, Mill believes that everyone is in need of their freedom of speech, and is allowed to have their own viewpoints: “If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person [was] of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind” (Mill, pg. 19). Contrary to that, Marx and Engels believe that the government should have a major role in people’s lives and they should be allowed to punish private individuals directly. Essentially Marx and Engels believe that the government should meddle with the lives of private individuals to get rid of individuality, which they believe leads to private property and creates

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