De la liberté est un essai de philosophie de John Stuart Mill paru en 1859. Défendant un libéralisme vigoureux fondé sur le harm principle, le livre a eu une postérité importante dans la tradition libérale. Il a été influencé par les écrits d'auteurs allemands comme Goethe et Humboldt. Comptant indubitablement parmi les œuvres majeures de Mill, le livre pose toutefois certaines questions de cohérence avec un autre ouvrage de l'auteur : L'Utilitarisme. La première traduction française est due à Charles Brook Dupont-White, en 1860.
But the peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.
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De la liberté
His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even right.
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De la liberté
“Celui qui ne connaît que ses propres arguments connaît mal sa cause.”
He who knows only his own side of the case, knows little of that.
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De la liberté
“L'utilité même d'une opinion est affaire d'opinion.”
The usefulness of an opinion is itself matter of opinion.
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De la liberté
History teems with instances of truth put down by persecution. If not suppressed forever, it may be thrown back for centuries.
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De la liberté
That principle is, that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.
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De la liberté
“Le génie ne peut respirer librement que dans une atmosphère de liberté.”
Genius can only breathe freely in an atmosphere of freedom.
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De la liberté
The worth of a State, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it; and a State which postpones the interests of their mental expansion and elevation, to a little more of administrative skill, or that semblance of it which practice gives, in the details of business; a State, which dwarfs its men, in order that they may be more docile instruments in its hands even for beneficial purposes, will find that with small men no great thing can really be accomplished; and that the perfection of machinery to which it has sacrificed everything, will in the end avail it nothing, for want of the vital power which, in order that the machine might work more smoothly, it has preferred to banish.
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De la liberté
That so few now dare to be eccentric, marks the chief danger of the time.
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De la liberté
