Self Interest in the Political Philosophies of Mill and Locke Essay

Charles Baudelaire, a well-known English poet, once said that Nature... is nonhing unless the inner voice of self-interest. The philosophical theme of self-interest has been a common idea among governmental thinkers for many years. In any production that is linked to the farming of political philosophy, the role of self-interest within a society must be considered. The role of self-interest within a society is the basis for the object lesson thinking that involves weighing the needs and obligations of an individual against the goods of the individual and in turn society (The Role of Self interest in Political Philosophy). Before confronting an issue within a society, a political thinker must decide whether or not people are ultimately self-interested. The government system of checks and balances was complete to confront the issue of self-interest. The political thinkers, John Stuart Mill and John Locke unveiled the mysteries of what it meant to live in freedom and possess l iberty, in which the self-interest of humanity does not impose on the rights of others. Both Locke and Mills believed that in order to govern over a society, people must have freedom. The difference between these political thinkers lies in how very much freedom people should be entitled to within a political society.In order to understand how Mill and Locke came to the conclusion of how much freedom a person should possess, we must understand what a political thinker perceives as freedom and liberty. In John Lockes writings, The Second Treaties of Government, he states that all men exist in a state of perfect freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and person as they think fit, within the spring of the law of nature, without asking leave or depend... ... CitedCharles Baudelaire Quotes - BrainyQuote. Famous Quotes at BrainyQuote. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. .Excerpts from John Stuart Mill, ON LIBERTY. Ashland University. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. .John Locke Second Trea tise of Civil Government. Index. Web. 04 Dec. 2011. .Lanterns of Liberty. Lanterns of Liberty Illuminating the Truth. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. .On Liberty by John Stuart Mill. Utilitarianism Past, Present and Future. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. .Social Apartheid in Tri-Cities Bristol Virginia-Tennessee. Web. 26 Nov. 2011. .Web.