Mill's Moderate Welfarism (P 470a)
Mill accepts a moderate welfarism, but does not
endorse it as a general principle.
"There are ... many positive acts for the benefit of others, which [a
person] may rightfully be compelled to perform ..." (P 470b)
These include:
- give evidence in a court of justice
- bear fair share of common defense
- bear fair share in any other joint work necessary for the protection
of society
- certain acts of individual beneficence, such saving [a person's]
life
- protecting the defenseless against abuse
(another misprint later in this paragraph: Pojman has "neither" for
"either" P470a)
Richard Lee,
rlee@uark.edu,
last modified: 10 February 2003
