The harm principle holds that the actions of individuals should only be limited to prevent harm to other individuals. John Stuart Mill articulated this principle in On Liberty, where he argued that "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others." An equivalent was earlier stated in France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789 as "Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. These limits can only be determined by law."
Read more about Harm Principle: Definition, The Offense Principle, Broader Definitions of Harm
Other articles related to "harm principle, principle, harm":
... the same essay, Mill further explains the principle as a function of two maxims The second of these maxims has become known as the social authority principle ... also opens the question of broader definitions of harm, up to and including harm to the society ... The concept of harm is not limited to harm to another individual but can be harm to individuals plurally, without specific definition of those individuals ...
... Limitations to freedom of speech may follow the "harm principle" or the "offense principle", for example in the case of pornography, or hate speech ... However, Mill also introduced what is known as the harm principle, in placing the following limitation on free expression "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member ... serious offense (as opposed to injury or harm) to persons other than the actor, and that it is probably a necessary means to that end." Hence Feinberg argues that the harm principle sets the bar too high and that ...
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