Between Autonomy and State Regulation: J.S. Mill's Elastic Paternalism

What is it about?

This paper analyses J.S. Mill's theory on the relationships between individual autonomy and State powers.

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Why is it important?

This article shows that Mill was more paternalistic that is generally assumed. It describes Mill's elastic paternalism designed to prevent people from inflicting harm upon others as well as upon themselves, from soft paternalism on issues like compulsory education to hard paternalism on very private matters such as marriage, having children, and divorce by consent.

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