Kassidy Augustine, B00893864

Final essay

Poli 2420, Political Thought 1789-1900

Dr. Kiran Banerjee

March 31st 2023

Conception of true Liberty

Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill are two Political Philosophers who conceptualize the idea

of liberty. Marx believes that to be free, one needs to be free from the capitalist chains of

alienated labor enforced by the bourgeoisie and thus enter a political utopia he calls communism

(Marx et al., 1972, p. 76). Mill, states that for one to have liberty one needs to be able to have

three things, freedom of thought and expression, freedom of action and freedom of association

all to ensure the diversity of life and the cultivation of society and rational faculties (Mill, 2002,

p. 143. In this essay I will argue, using Mill’s conception of liberty, why Marx’s communist

utopia is problematic and conflicts with true liberty. I will demonstrate this through Marx’s

arguments of capitalism as the one true dominate correct ideal and how communism limits

individuality and thus stagnates growth. All of these aspects of Marx’s ideal are inherently

alienating and conflict with true liberty. I will then address a possible argument of Marx's false

consciousness and domination and explain how it is different Mills idea of social conformity

therefore false consciousness does not hinder liberty.

In Marx’s various works he describes the way to achieve and realize our freedom in

society, for all peoples. He believes that in our current state of capitalism, there are two classes
of peoples, the bourgeoise, the capital owners, and the proletariat, the labor workers. The labor

workers do not own their labor, the bourgeoise own it, sell it and set the prices made from that

labor. Thus, the proletariat are disconnected from their labor (Marx et al., 1972, p. 72). Labor is a

very important aspect for Marx, because through labor, humans can take their ideas or

consciousness and transform the world around them to how they wish and imagine it to be (Marx

et al., 1972, P. 76). For example, If I want to create an institution for learning, I can build a

school and shape the world by cultivating minds. I can build a garden and feed myself, my

family or whoever I choose. But if humans do not own their labor and decide what happens to it,

they lose this aspect of their ability to participate in and control what happens to the world. As

humans we are able to shape the world and thus shape our consciousness and vice versa, our

consciousness is able to shape the world which is called species being (Marx et al., 1972, p. 86).

Species being is an integral to our self-development and flourishing which is the essence of

achieving liberty for Marx (Marx, et al., 1972, p. 86).

In a capitalist society, Marx states that both the proletariat and the bourgeoise are unfree

because of the alienation of labor. The false consciousness inhibits us from seeing how we are

alienated from our labor. The alienation of labor is caused by capitalism for three reasons. The

first reason is related to species being. Both the proletariat and the bourgeoise are unable to

participate in species being because the proletariat do not own their labor, the bourgeoise own it.

Meaning, the proletariat does not get to decide what happens to their labor and the bourgeoise do

not labor at all, which strips them both of the ability to participate in species being (Marx, et al.,

1972, p. 78). Secondly, the proletariat are slaves to their work, and thus slaves to the bourgeoise

because the bourgeoise own their work. The proletariat spend their lives creating something that

they do not even see themselves in and cannot own or shape. The value of their labor is seen as
something alien, something only the bourgeoise control as they sell their labor as they see fit

(Marx et al., 1972, p. 72). Finally, the modes of capitalism such as bargaining and exchange

replace the sense of community instilled into people, also creating a sense of separation from one

another. Humans only see each other as means to an end which is alienating (Marx et al., 1972,

p.78). Marx views freedom based off our labor and our ability to cultivate it as ours to shape the

world; without these it there is alienation, and alienation halts us from realizing our full potential.

He believes species beings is the key to liberty, and that species beings will allow society to

cultivate and slowly evolve into a communist regime which is his utopia of full freedoms

realized (Marx et al., 1972, p. 86).

Mill’s values of liberty are based on individuality, choice and diversity. He believes the

many should not be able to rule the minority (Mill, 2002, p. 9). For example, democratic

governments should not restrict action based off public opinion of the majority and the principles

held at that time. They should only restrict action based on one essential principle, the harm

principle. The harm principle is a mechanism that was created to ensure the maximum freedom

for an individual without one interfering with the freedoms of others. Essentially, one is free to

do whatever they wish as long as it does not harm others or interfere with another's liberties

(Mill, 2002, p. 11). Mill believes also believes there is a new modern threat to liberty in society,

not just in governments. Although the majority can rule in democratic governments, they can

also rule in society. Convention, tradition and societal norms all hinder individualism and

freedom because they prevent originality and individuals from being their most authentic self

(Mill, 2002, p. 14). Instead, they are limited to convention to be something that they are not.

Individuality is one of the most important aspects of freedom for Mill because it allows for self

and societal development. Therefore, he believes that individuality should not only be allowed
but embraced. Individuals should not all be subjected to a standard of what is right, but be

allowed to do say, think, act and associate in whatever way they wish, even if it is seemly wrong,

outlandish or weird. This is to ensure liberty for all with the cultivation of rational facilities and

development for all members of society (Mill, 2002, p. 49).

Marx’s conception of capitalism is something that Mill would embrace as he believes in

freedom of thought and Marx has a right to that thought. But Mill would not agree with Marx’s

implementation of communism on the masses of society. Communism in itself is the idea that all

markets would be controlled by the majority, thus eliminating the forces of alienation (Marx et

al., 1972, p. 84). But I argue that Mill would disagree with this aspect because enacting

communism is applying Marx's conception of the right on all individuals in society. Mill feels as

though different forms of action and ways of life should be embraced, and that no certain

conception of right or ideal shall be enforced and that is exactly what Karl Marx stands for. By

implementing communism for all under the ideal that it liberates all individuals, it actually

contradicts itself, creates alienation and counteracts liberty. Alienation, for Marx, happens when

people feel separated and under the control of market forces, when in reality, they can have

control of the market which is why they are alienated. He believes alienation is inherently bad

because it limits true emancipation and equality, and thus limits freedom which is bad (Marx et

al., 1972, p. 72). Mill believes that people should be able to decide for themselves what their

version of freedom looks like and be able to live that if it doesn't harm anyone (Mill, 2002, p.

14). Marx deciding what freedom looks like for them is limiting their freedom because one may

like the capitalist modes of production or may feel liberated in it, even if it is a small number of

people that feel that way (Mill, 2002, p. 66). Each person should be allowed to live the reality

they choose because it promotes diversity of action. There is no guarantee that Marx’s
conception of liberty is inherently correct, or that it is correct for all peoples. It may seem correct

at the time; it may not be in the future or for every single individual. The only guarantee of

liberty is through Mill’s conception of liberty, that all thoughts, expressions, actions, and

associations shall be accepted if they do not harm other people's ability to enact their own liberty.

Because it creates a place of tolerance and diversity, even if that thought or action goes against

morals, is different from convention or is seen as absurd, or is fully wrong. This is because

individuality is the essence of freedom. Individuals should be able to decide what they wish to do

and use their rational capacities to decide a choice for themselves and thus enact that choice

(Mill, 2002, p. 63). Marx has made that choice of what is correct, and wants to implement it onto

everyone, which is inherently fundamentally problematic.

To live in a society dominated by one mode of lifestyle is the opposite of choice.

Capitalism allows multitude of lifestyle choices, if one wishes to live in the woods and separate

themselves from capitalism, they can. An individual can choose to work for whomever they want

and in whatever field they wish, choose to fend for themselves, choose to start a business, and to

do whatever they want. It is argued that under capitalism the proletariat is alienated from the line

of work, separated and has no control over their labor (Marx et al., 1972, p. 78). But that is

fundamentally false, the individual can decide what they wish to do, and if they do not like it,

can start up their own business and own their labor. Nobody is forced to conform to capitalism,

even though it is the main mode of production, and most people participate in it, they can still

separate themselves from it. Under communism, people are arguably forced to participate in this

mode of production and cannot live the life they wish to. They cannot start up a business and sell

their own goods, or work for their dream company, they are forced to participate in a way of life

that is supposedly good for them and what will make them happy. Marx states that a true
communist society shall have a planned economy, one in which prices are set, resources are

divided, and production is determined by the people (Marx et al., 1972, p. 478). I argue that this

is just tyranny of the majority, the majority of the people decide value of labor. Marx's ideal of

production is ruled by the majority, not the individual. Meaning minorities can be ruled by the

will of the majority, and not able to participate in a capitalist lifestyle if they wish and to set their

own prices. Individuals are forced to have their labor as an activity, and not a commodity which

although it is said to be in their best interest, should not be decided, individuals should be able to

choose for themselves. If individuals have the freedom of choice, individuality and diversity can

flourish, which benefits all of society (Mill, 2002, p. 58).

In addition to this, society will stagnate under communism because Marx states that

history is a means to an up-and-coming end. The utopia of communism is the end where humans

achieve emancipation and equality, meaning that the end of communism is the end of

development because it is all that is needed. Although he states we are far from that upcoming

end, it will eventually lead to a necessary end of freedom (Marx et al,. 1972, p. 107). This to

Mill, is a stagnation of society which hinders freedom because to him, society is constantly

developing, and what may be true or morally right for one age, is not necessarily for the other.

He does not believe that history can simply be done developing. Exercise of freedom, choice and

thus individuality allows the cultivation of humanity and development of faculties for each

individual and society. Individuality allows new practices and other ways of living and ideas,

which thus allows important contributions and new truths to be discovered (Mill, 2002, p. 60). If

there is a fully “developed” society that is no longer growing, then there is no individuality

which allows differences of opinion and life. Society grows into habit, and thus ending the
process of diversity, dissent, progress and ultimately freedom. Humans need continual

flourishing to discover new truths, happiness, progress and liberty (Mill, 2002, p.58).

It may be a fair argument to say that the false consciousness that Marx notes is a form of

oppression halting society from realizing that they do not actually like or want capitalism. Marx

states that communism is in their best interest, and they would be genuinely happy in this

society, but the false consciousness stops people from seeing this reality. Even if this were

hypothetically true, false consciousness is okay to have. Mill believes that thoughts, ideals,

actions and associations are all okay, even if they are completely wrong because nobody can

claim absolute certainty of something (Mill, 2002, p. 19). Marx is claiming that we are all

blinded by something that only he can see through, and the answer to end the false consciousness

and gain liberty is through communism. But why is he the person that should say what is right?

If the false consciousness is inherently true, the best way to discover that truth is to open it up for

debate. If it is true, that truth can be strengthened, and people shall see why it is truthful instead

of following it blindly (Mill, 2002, p. 37) The false consciousness, unlike social conformity can

be beaten, and is an opinion that is simply held, not a barrier to achieving emancipation like

Marx says. The false consciousness is simply a belief system Marx doesn’t like whereas Mill’s

social conformity is forced convention that cannot be beaten if implemented. Nobody is forcing

false consciousness; it is a held belief system.

Marx and Mill have varying layers and ideals of what constitutes liberty for all of society.

Marx believes that emancipation and equality from alienated labor through the implementation

of communism can bring about liberty (Marx et al., 1972). Mill believes that the cultivation of

tolerance of different ways, thoughts and actions of life foster diversity and individuality which

advances society and maximizes liberty (Mill, 2002). Both of which are ultimately different and
thought out, but Mill’s conception of freedom is the only way to guarantee such freedoms

because it is tolerant of all ideas and is open to change unlike Marx who claims his way of life is

the only just way. By allowing differences of opinions and actions, new truths can be discovered,

and people can live their lives with cultivation and choice, because everyone is different, and the

conception of the truth is ever changing with new ages. Mill’s conception of liberty maximum’s

liberty whereas Marx’s hinders it.

Word count: 2500

 References
Marx, K., Engels, F., & Tucker, R. C. (1972). The Marx-Engels reader. Norton.
Mill, J. S. (2002). The basic writings of John Stuart Mill. 2002 Modern Library pbk. ed. New York,
Modern Library.