NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the various causes of American civil war.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context of American Civil war between northern states and southern states.
Body:
First, write major various factors that caused the outbreak of American civil war – Political, Economic and Social causes.
Next, examine whether the civil war was primarily a power conflict between the states or was fought for the issue of slavery? Give examples to substantiate your points.
Conclusion:
Pass a judgement regarding the primary cause of civil war.
Introduction
The American Civil War remains the deadliest conflict in American history with a death toll that surpasses the combined total of American deaths in the first and second World Wars. In some ways, it was the first modern conflict, with the use of armored warships, railways, and telegraphs.
The causes of the Civil War were complex and numerous but ultimately stemmed from the question of slavery. Slavery had always been a point of contention in the United States, but the rapid expansion of the US in the first half of the 19th century served to heighten this issue. New territories raised the question of how they would function, whether as free or slave states.
Body
Background
- The secession of the Southern states (in chronological order, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina) in 1860–61 and the ensuing outbreak of armed hostilities were the culmination of decades of growing sectional friction over slavery.
- A common explanation is that the Civil War was fought over the moral issue of slavery.
- In fact, it was the economics of slavery and political control of that system that was central to the conflict.
North vs South: American civil war
- The South was a primarily agricultural economy centred around the production of raw materials, particularly cotton. With the use of slaves, the labor burden largely fell on black shoulders while the rewards fell into a small number of white hands.
- Rather than invest profits in industry and infrastructure, wealthy Southerners instead bought more slaves and more land.
- States’ rights: The Southern states wanted to assert their authority over the federal government so they could abolish federal laws they didn’t support, especially laws interfering with the South’s right to keep slaves and take them wherever they wished.
- Territorial expansion: The South wished to take slavery into the western territories, while the North was committed to keeping them open to white labour alone.
- Meanwhile, the newly formed Republican party, whose members were strongly opposed to the westward expansion of slavery into new states, was gaining prominence.
- The election of a Republican, Abraham Lincoln, as President in 1860 sealed the deal. His victory, without a single Southern electoral vote, was a clear signal to the Southern states that they had lost all influence.
- Feeling excluded from the political system, they turned to the only alternative they believed was left to them: secession, a political decision that led directly to war.
Conclusion
While slavery and its various and multifaceted discontents were the primary cause of disunion, it was disunion itself that sparked the war. The problem for Americans who, in the age of Lincoln, wanted slaves to be free was not simply that southerners wanted the opposite, but that they themselves cherished a conflicting value: they wanted the Constitution, which protected slavery, to be honoured, and the Union, which had fellowship with slaveholders, to be preserved. Thus, they were committed to values that could not logically be reconciled.
Topic: History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the impact of French Revolution on France and rest of the world.
Directive word:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give the context of French Revolution of 1789 as a total revolution.
Body:
First, write about the impact of the revolution on France – Political, Economic and Social impacts in detail are to be written.
Next, write about the ways in which the revolution impacted the rest of the world in different ways. Mention its impact on India.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing about the legacy of French revolution.
Introduction
French Revolution (1789-1799) was a period of social and political upheaval in France resulting in the overthrow of Monarchy and establishing of Re French revolution was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. The outbreak of revolution was due to the political incompetency of King Louis XVI, disorganized administrative step, sharp inequalities in the society and impending financial crisis.
Body
The French Revolution was not only a popular uprising against the absolute power of the king but was also against the privileges and wealth of the elite. The causes are generally agreed to be a combination of social, political and economic factors, which the existing regime proved unable to manage.
Its causes were multi-dimensional:
- Cultural: Enlightenment to think rationally, critically led to lowering the status of Church and Monarch, while promotion of secular, scientific and humanistic values.
- Social: Aspiration of Bourgeois class to be politically equal to Clergy and Aristocratic class.
- Financial: France’s involvement in the American Revolution leading to increased taxation at home and reduction in privileges
- Political: Provincial Courts’ opposition to the reduction in their privileges.
- Economic: Deregulation of grain prices leading to high inflation of bread and bad harvest leading to food shortage provoking the masses to revolt.
Impact on French Society
- Monarchy was abolished and Republic took its place.
- Political sovereignty introduced at individual and nation-state level with a centralised government.
- Serfdom, Feudalism, Slavery were abolished and the influence of Church decreased in personal lives.
- Idea of separation of public and private realm emerged.
- The abolition of Slavery after the French revolution was the first move against this repressive system and Britain followed suit in 1833 while the USA banned it in 1865.
- It led to the destruction of feudalism in France as all laws of the old feudal regime were repealed and lands of the nobles and church were confiscated and redistributed.
- The Jacobian constitution, which although never came into effect, was the first genuinely democratic constitution. It gave the right to vote to all, and even the Right to Insurrection, which implies the right to revolt or rises against the government.
- Ending the arbitrary royal rule, the revolution paved the way for rule by law under a constitutional order.
- Some Shortcomings: Limited suffrage, especially women were excluded, Slavery was reintroduced by Napoleon.
Impact on World
- Napoleon carried ideals of the Revolution to the rest of Europe: Liberty, Modern Laws, Democratic Rights, protection of private property. This, in turn, gave rise to Modern Nationalism paving way creation of the sovereign nation-state.
- Liberalism as government form got crystallised in North and South America.
- It inspired other revolutions: Haitian Revolution, Independence Movements in Spanish and Portuguese colonies in South America. Raja Rammohan Roy and Tipu Sultan in particular and Indian Nationalist Freedom Struggle incorporated ideals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
Conclusion
Thus, the importance of the French Revolution laid in laying the foundation of Modern States based on Liberal Democratic ideals. Also, indirectly it laid the groundwork for the growth of Socialism and Communism by providing an intellectual and social environment in which these ideologies could flourish.
Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
Sattanar’s story of Manimekalai from circa the second or third century CE is an action-packed tale with many sub-plots, a curious cast of characters and a methodical comparison of the major Indian doctrines. It also has excellent details on the customs, manners and ceremonies of ‘Tamizhagam’, the old Tamil country that narrowed south to the sea from the northern boundary of the Tirupati hills.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the historical importance of Sangam literature.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by writing about the three Tamil Sangams and the formation of state in Southern India.
Body:
In the first part, write about I detail bring out the various dimensions of the Sangam texts – Ideals, ritualism, mysticism and tale of valour and love.
Next, write about Sangam literature as historical texts, they give information about kings, dynasties, administration, taxes, trade and commerce, societal aspects etc. The classical epics also throw light on contemporary events as well as historical aspects. Show the refined and advanced nature of literature. Use various Sangam texts as examples to substantiate your points.
Write a few criticisms of Sangam literature as historical texts – lack of chronology, discontinuities etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by giving your opinion of Sangam texts as source of history.
Introduction
The Pallava dynasty existed between the 3rd and 9th centuries CE, ruling a portion of what is today Andhra Pradesh (early Pallavas) and Tamil Nadu (later Pallavas).The tradition of direct patronization of the temples began with the Pallavas. Starting with rock-cut temples, Pallava sculptors later graduated to free-standing structural shrines which inspired Chola temples of a later age.
Body
Perhaps no other empire has garnered appreciation for their contribution to rock-cut architecture as Pallavas. Some of the monuments created by Pallavas during their rule through rock excavation have garnered the worldwide admiration for its beauty and the skills displayed by the artists. Pallava sculpture shows greater details of workmanship, lighter anatomy and more developed artistic finishing.
They were the pioneers of South Indian art and architecture as they had introduced the stone architecture in the Tamil country. Even as a building material, stone was not or rarely used here, possibly because of its strong association with funerary customs. The fascination of carving whole temples into the living rock which spread over India during the first millennium AD had not yet seized the South by the end of the 6th century. Their contributions are still extant because granite was used for building temples and carving sculptures.
Evolution of architecture of Pallavas
- Pallava architecture can be now sub-divided into two phases – the rock cut phase and the structural phase.
- Rock cut phase:
- The rock cut phase lasted from the 610 to 668 AD and consisted of two groups of monuments – the Mahendra group and the Mamalla group.
- The Mahendra groupis the name given to monuments constructed during the reign of Mahendravarman I
- The monuments of this group are invariably pillared halls hewn out of mountain faces.
- These pillared halls or mandapas follow the prototype of Jain temples of the period.
- The best examples of Mahendra group of monuments are the cave temples at Mandagapattu, Pallavaram and Mamandur.
- The second group of rock cut monuments belong to the Mamalla group .
- During this period free-standing monolithic shrines called rathas were constructed alongside pillared halls.
- Some of the best examples of this style are the Pancha Rathas and Arjuna’s Penance at Mahabalipuram.
- Free standing temples:
- The second phase of Pallava architecture is the structural phase when free-standing shrines were constructed with stone and mortar brought in for the purpose.
- The Rajasimha group encompasses the early structural temples of the Pallavas when a lot of experimentation was carried out.
- The best examples of this period are the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram and the Kanchi Kailasanathar Templeat Kanchipuram both constructed by Narasimhavarman II who was known as Rajasimha.
- The best example of the Nandivarman group of monuments is the Vaikunta Perumal Temple at Kanchipuram.
Conclusion
During this period, Pallava architecture attained full maturity and provided the models upon which the massive Brihadeeswarar Temple of the Cholas at Thanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram and various other architectural works of note were constructed.
The recent announcement of 11 ancient temples in Kancheepuram making it to the UNESCO’s tentative list of world heritage sites opens an avenue for the region to be back on the tourism map. This will ensure better care of the structures as the final honour brings with it international recognition.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The United Nations latest report, “Population Prospects” forecasts that India will surpass China’s population by 2023, reaching 1.5 billion by 2030 and 1.66 billion by 2050.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the role of women education in improving country’s human development index.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context of India set to become the most populous country.
Body:
In the first part, bring out the various manifestations of India becoming the most populous country.
Next, write about the role of women education in improving country’s human development index and how it can help improve country’s developmental aspects. Write about ways to achieve the same.
Next, mention various other factors that are needed to improve India’s developmental aspects.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
The United Nations latest report, “Population Prospects” forecasts that India will surpass China’s population by 2023, reaching 1.5 billion by 2030 and 1.66 billion by 2050. It was only three years ago that the UN Population Prospects (2019) projected that India will surpass China’s population by 2027. But it seems that the rate of growth of India’s population is faster than that of China, and the global agencies had to change their forecast significantly in three years.
Body
Role of women education in improving country’s human development index
- Women play an imperative role in making a nation progressive and guide it towards development. It will significantly decrease child labour and increase productive capacity of all people collectively.
- An educated woman also contributes to improving child nutrition thus helping India become malnutrition free.
- They are essential possessions of a lively humanity required for national improvement, so if we have to see a bright future of women in our country, giving education to them must be a pre-occupation.
- Empowerment means moving from a weak position to execute a power.
- The education of women is the most powerful tool to change the position of society.
- Education also brings a reduction in inequalities and functions as a means of improving their status within the family.
- To encourage the education of women at all levels and for dilution of gender bias in providing knowledge and education, established schools, colleges and universities even exclusively for women in the state.
- The education develops the idea of participation in government, panchayats, public matters etc for elimination of gender discrimination.
Other factors needed to improve human development
- Fair Income Distribution: While the size of economic resources is a key factor affecting human development, the distribution and allocation of these resources also play a major role in determining the level of human development.
- Many global case studies show that high growth accompanied by more effective income distribution can help enhance human development, even with moderate social expenditures.
- For Example, South Korea and Taiwan improved income distribution through early land reforms.
- Investing in Social Infrastructure: Universalisation of education and health care could have pulled deprived sections out of the poverty trap.
- Sustaining and improving the quality of life will also depend on policies crafted to handle major emerging challenges such as urbanisation, the housing deficit, access to power, water, education and health care.
- Streamlining of the Finances: Streamlining the traditional approach of generating new sources of revenue generation, steps like rationalised targeting of subsidies, judicious use of revenues meant for social sector development etc will probably meet the financial requirements needed for improving HDI.
- Good Governance Reforms: Effective performance evaluation of the projects and activities engaged in the social sector development through innovative methods like outcome budgeting, social auditing and participatory democracy has been known to yield positive results.
- Gender Empowerment: Government should invest in Gender equality and women’s empowerment, as they are integral to human development.
Conclusion
India’s HDI scores can be substantially enhanced if a politically committed government rolls out inclusive policies that strengthen public health, education and nutrition, and end gender discrimination to usher in a more egalitarian order.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
Since the onset of the pandemic and over the past few months, after the Ukraine-Russia war, commodity prices, especially that of energy, have surged worldwide. With inflation at unprecedented levels in many countries, concerns over energy security have gained centre stage.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the various obstacles to energy security in India and ways to ensure energy security.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context regarding the energy security in the country.
Body:
In the first part, First, write about the various impediments to India’s energy security – coal shortages, volatility of crude oil, increasing demand, climate commitments and lack of diversification of resources.
Next, write about the need for gradual transition towards clean energy commitments while balancing energy security.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Climate sustainability is integral to India’s economic policy while energy security also is equally important in this transitional phase. The energy transition will also have far-reaching implications for energy security, and the ripple effects of unfolding events in Ukraine are a sobering reminder of its relevance.
Clean energy appears to be the future for the power needs of humanity across the globe as reliance of fossil fuels continues to diminish. However, the road to clean energy is not straight forward and here is where the government must rely on calculated measure to balance energy security and net-zero commitments.
Body
India’s energy requirement projection
- The country’s demand for energy is set to double by 2040, and its electricity demand may
- Indian oil consumption is expected to grow faster than that of any other major economy (including China). This makes further improving energy security a key priority for India’s economy.
- India’s oil demand is expected to reach 6 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2024 from 4.4 million bpd in 2017, but its domestic production is expected to rise only marginally, making the country more reliant on crude imports and more vulnerable to supply disruption in the Middle East.
- India’s oil refining capacity is expected to rise to 5.7 million bpd by 2024, making it a very attractive market for refinery investment.
Gradual transition to renewable energy: Reasons
- Availability of Power: One of the biggest concerns in the field of renewable energy is power generation depending on natural resources that are uncontrollable by humans.
- For example, solar powered electricity is generated only when sunshine is available and turns off at night; wind energy also depends on the availability of wind, so if the wind speed is very low, the turbine will not turn, and this result in zero power flow to the grid.
- The uncertainty in energy production in renewable energy technologies is making integration more complex.
- Power Quality Issues: Consistently high-power quality is needed to ensure stability and high efficiency of the network.
- It can lead to high costs and equipment failure.
- Power quality problems include frequency disorder, voltage/current harmonics, low power factor, voltage variation and transmission lines transits.
- Resource location: Most renewable energy plants that share their energy with the grid require large areas of space. In most cases, renewable energy sources are dictated by location which can be off-putting to users.
- Firstly, some renewable energy sources are simply not available in different regions. Secondly, the distance between the renewable energy source and the grid is a major aspect in term of cost and efficiency.
- Information Barrier: While this area is improving, there is a lack of information and awareness about the benefits and need of renewable energy.
- Investment and capital allowances have been made available for the implementation of renewable energies.
- Cost Issue: The high initial cost of installation is one of the major hurdles in the development of renewable energy.
- Although the development of a coal plant requires about $6 per megawatt, it is known that wind and solar power plants also required high investment.
- In addition to this, storage systems of the generated energy is expensive and represents a real challenge in terms of megawatt production.
Measures needed
- Focus on Energy Efficiency: Will need energy efficient buildings, lighting, appliances and industrial practicesto meet the net-zero goal.
- Increased usage of Biofuels: Can help reduce emissions from light commercial vehicles, tractors in agriculture.
- In aviation, the only practical solution for reducing emissions is greater use of biofuels, until hydrogen technology gains scale.
- Transition towards Electric vehicles: This will further help curb the carbon emissions and move towards cleaner fuel. Vehicular emissions are one of the biggest sources of GHG.
- Carbon Sequestration: India willhave to rely on natural and man-made carbon sinks to soak up those emissions. Trees can capture 0.9 billion tons; the country will need carbon capture technologies to sequester the rest.
- Carbon Pricing:
- India, which already taxes coal and petroleum fuels, should consider putting a tax on emissions to drive change.
- Deploying lower-carbon Energy: There are four main types of low-carbon energy: wind, solar, hydro or nuclear power. The first three are renewable, which means these are good for the environment – as natural resources are used (such as wind or sun) to produce electricity.
- Deploying lower carbon energy would help address both domestic and international climate challenges while simultaneously improving the economic well-being of India’s citizens.
- Mainstreaming Renewable energy: India’s energy mix is dominated by coal powered electric generation stations as of now.
- The need of the hour is increasing the share of renewable energy in this energy mix.
Conclusion and way forward
- Given the massive shifts underway in India’s energy system, we would benefit from taking stock of our actions and focusing on near-term transitions.
- This will allow us to meet and even over-comply with our 2030 target while also ensuring concomitant developmental benefits, such as developing a vibrant renewable industry.
- We can start putting in place the policies and institutions necessary to move us in the right direction for the longer-term and also better understand, through modelling and other studies, the implications of net-zero scenarios before making a net-zero pledge.
- It would also be in India’s interest to link any future pledge to the achievement of near-term action by industrialised countries.
- That would be fair and consistent with the principles of the UNFCCC and also enhance the feasibility of our own actions through, for example, increasing availability and reducing costs of new mitigation technologies.
There appears to be no turning back on the path of decarbonized economic growth for India. The recent Union budget has made this sufficiently clear. The scale of the challenge is also balanced by an opportunity. It’s the execution that will now determine the pace at which we proceed along that path.
Value addition
India on path to achieve carbon neutrality
- Exceeding the NDC commitment: India is on track (as reports/documents show) to meet and exceed the NDC commitment to achieve 40% electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based sources by 2030.
- Reduction in emission intensity of GDP: Against the voluntary declaration for reducing the emission intensity of GDP by 20%-25% by 2020, India has reduced it by 24% between 2005-2016.
- More importantly, we achieved these targets with around 2% out of the S.$100 billion committed to developing nations in Copenhagen (2009), realised by 2015.
- Renewable energy expansion: India is implementing one of the most extensive renewable energy expansion programmes to achieve 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.
- Investment in green measures: As part of the fiscal stimulus after the pandemic, the Government announced several green measures, including:
- a $26.5-billion investment in biogas and cleaner fuels,
- $3.5 billion in incentives for producing efficient solar photovoltaic (PV)
- and advanced chemistry cell battery, and $780 million towards an afforestation programme.
- India’s contribution to global emissions is well below its equitable share of the worldwide carbon budget by any equity criterion.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators
6. What do you understand by normative ethics? Explain with examples. (150 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about Normative ethics.
Directive:
Explain – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In the introduction, given brief of major aspects of normative ethics.
Body:
Explain the detail the various of features of normative ethics and its role in helping decide the rightness or wrongness of the actions. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising
Introduction
Normative ethics is the branch of philosophy that theorizes the content of our moral judgments or, as a limiting case, denies that any such theories are possible (the position of the so-called anti-theorists).
Body
The word ‘normative’ is an adjective which comes from the word ‘norm’, which means a ‘standard’, or a ‘rule’, so moral norms are standards or principles with which people are expected to comply.
While meta-ethics focuses on foundational issues concerning the semantics of moral utterance and how our moral views fit more broadly into a general conception of reality, normative ethics focuses on the major theoretical approaches to the content of moral reflection.
It is shaped by the historical inheritance of the tradition of moral philosophy in the West in its focus on deontology, consequentialism, and virtue ethics as the major forms of normative ethical theory.
Virtue, deontological, and consequentialist (utilitarianism, for example), theories are all instances of normative ethical theories. These theories aim to arrive at standards or norms of behavior, and in doing so provide a framework for ethical thinking.
Conclusion
Thus, Normative ethics addresses such questions as “What should I do?”, thus endorsing some ethical evaluations and rejecting others. They examine the rightness and wrongness of actions. In a sense, it is a search for an ideal litmus test of proper behavior.
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Topic: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics – in private and public relationships.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by Lexicon Publications.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about how Moral philosophies guide our moral compass to describe conscience, our inner sense of right and wrong offers a framework to guide our actions.
Directive:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by describing the harm principle.
Body:
Elaborate on how harm principle is applicable to various aspects of individual, societal and community level actions. Mention the essence behind harm principle and its role in advancing liberties of induvial rather than curtailing it.
Conclusion:
Complete by summarising.
Introduction
The harm principle says people should be free to act however they wish unless their actions cause harm to somebody else. The principle is a central tenet of the political philosophy known as liberalism and was first proposed by English philosopher John Stuart Mill.
The harm principle is not designed to guide the actions of individuals but to restrict the scope of criminal law and government restrictions of personal liberty.
Body:
The harm principle states that the only actions that can be prevented are ones that create harm. In other words, a person can do whatever he wants as long as his actions do not harm others. If a person’s actions only affect himself, then society, which includes the government, should not be able to stop a person from doing what he wants. This even includes actions that a person may do that would harm the person himself.
However, we cannot just stop there and think that Mill makes things seem so simple, because he doesn’t. If we were to stop our discussion of the harm principle at ‘anyone can do whatever they want just so long as it doesn’t affect anyone else,’ problems arise. One such problem may be what to do with people who want to end their own life. Interestingly, Mill would actually say it would not be okay for this to happen.
For this to make the most sense, we need to understand three important ideas that helped shape the harm principle. The first is that the harm principle comes from another principle called the principle of utility. The principle of utility states that people should only do those things that bring the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest number of people. So, if a person is trying to decide between two things, he should choose the option that makes the most people happy.
The second idea is that Mill says there is a difference between harm and offense. Harm is something that would injure the rights of someone else or set back important interests that benefit others. An example of harm would be not paying taxes because cities rely on the money to take care of its citizens. An offense, according to Mill, is something which we would say ‘hurt our feelings.’ These are less serious and should not be prevented, because what may hurt one person’s feelings may not hurt another’s, and so offenses are not universal.
The third idea to understand is that it is very rare for an action to only affect the individual himself. Mill argues that no person is truly isolated from others and that most actions do affect other people in important ways.
Mill’s Harm Principle in contemporary times:
- One of the biggest examples Mill used his harm principle to defend was the ability to have free speech. Mill felt that free speech was necessary for intellectual and social progress. If free speech was prevented, progress would not occur and thus harm would happen. Thus, in order to prevent harm, we should not limit free speech. The recent censorship, the gag order and contempt of court orders would come Harm principle.
- It can be applicable in the environment versus development debate. If the development is causing too much harm than the advantage it seeks to bring, then it is indeed causing harm.
Conclusion:
Through this, the Principle of Harm by John Stuart Mill was explored through its definition in regards to liberty and its link to personal freedom. Also explored was the only circumstance in which Mill believes freedom can be limited: to protect others from harm. Lastly, objections to Mill argument were brought up such as his vagueness in his explanations of liberty and harm as well as its tie to bad personal choices.
