Read the introduction of
On Liberty by John Stewart Mill Junior, it's an essay so I read the introductory part of it, not the teaser or synopsis put in by the publisher. He was a British political philosopher, and the text is centred around the rights and interactions of the individual versus society, the entire essay (according to the introduction at least) is centered around the principle that
Individuals are free to do what they like so long as it does not harm others [paraphrased]. . . that mankind is better off for suffering others to make decisions he feels are poor, than to compel them to obey
.
I think it's a very significant and influential idea, you can compare it to the idea of the modern scientific method, a key factor is making your own decisions based on logic and reason, not simply going with what is conventional or generally socially accepted (group think).
It also provides a fundamental, consistent basis for legislation and governance.
It's available on-line as an E-book, but I probably won't be reading the rest until I can get my hands on a hard copy.
- By darwin dali