J. S. Mill’s Liberal Individualism and the Moral Foundations of the State: Comparative Reflections with Rousseau and Tocqueville Introduction John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), one of the central figures of nineteenth-century liberalism, developed a robust theory of liberty grounded in the intrinsic worth of the individual and the necessity of moral and intellectual cultivation for the … Continue reading How does J. S. Mill’s liberal individualism inform his claim that the long-term value of the state is contingent upon the moral and intellectual development of its citizens? How does Mill’s emphasis on individual worth compare with Rousseau’s conception of the general will and Tocqueville’s reflections on civic virtue in sustaining democratic states?