Socialism

Mill, John Stuart, 1806-1873Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.9

Word count: 153K words
Chapters: 16

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Socialism by John Stuart MillAuthor: Mill, John Stuart, 1806-1873,Language: English, Class: HX: Social sciences: Socialism, Communism, Anarchism, Release Date: Nov 25, 2011

Editor's review

This is John Stuart Mill's public-domain text on the subject of socialism, released by Project Gutenberg as an English-language ebook and classified under socialism, communism and anarchism in the social sciences. Mill is best known for his work in political economy and liberalism; the value of this text lies in showing how a nineteenth-century thinker examined property institutions, remuneration of labour and schemes of social reform, offering a primary point of entry into the dialogue between socialist currents and classical liberalism. It is short and tightly argued, suitable as a companion reading for courses in intellectual history, and most revealing of the shape of Mill's position when read alongside his other works in political economy. Note that the text was written long ago and its context is far removed from contemporary welfare systems; readers should approach it historically rather than applying it directly to present-day policy judgements.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying the history of political thought who need to understand nineteenth-century debates on socialism
Researchers of Mill's thought seeking to supplement his writings on social reform
Social science readers interested in the relationship between classical liberalism and socialism
Advanced undergraduates and graduate students able to read the English original and take topic-based notes

Not a good fit for

Beginners seeking a systematic introduction to contemporary socialist theory
Practitioners hoping for policy proposals or practical guidance
General readers who find English difficult and need Chinese translation notes

Reading tips

Learn Mill's basic positions in political economy first; the argument's premises are easier to grasp afterwards.
Mark his core judgements on property and labour as you read, and compare them with other socialist texts.
Excerpt key passages for thematic notes, organizing ideas by question rather than by chapter.
After finishing, revisit the period in which it was written and distinguish historical debate from contemporary issues.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

How does this book relate to Mill's Principles of Political Economy?

This is Mill's dedicated text on the subject of socialism, discussing property, labour and social reform—themes shared with his political economy works but treated more concentrically. Treat it as one facet of Mill's social thought, not a complete overview of his economic system.

Does the book set out a complete socialist programme?

According to available information, this is Mill's text on socialism-related questions, bearing the marks of nineteenth-century intellectual debate rather than serving as a blueprint for institutional design in the modern sense. Read it for its mode of argument and the questions it raises, not for workable proposals.

Can I understand it without a background in philosophy?

This is an English-language argumentative text, relatively concentrated in length, but it involves concepts such as property rights and remuneration of labour and requires some grounding in political economy. A brief introduction to Mill's life and nineteenth-century British society is recommended before the main text.

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About the author

Mill, John Stuart, 1806-1873 Author

John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) was a British philosopher, economist and political thinker. Since the library holds little direct information about his nationality, dates and other details, this introduction relies on his works. His major writings span logic, political philosophy and economics: A System of Logic examines inductive and deductive method, On Liberty sets out the boundary between individual freedom and social interference, Utilitarianism presents an ethics based on the greatest happiness, and Principles of Political Economy sums up the economic thought of his time. The library holds 17 of his works, including different editions and volumes of A System of Logic, showing that his writings have been repeatedly edited and studied in the English-speaking world and have had a lasting influence on later philosophical, political and social thought.