Ascending and Decline of Civilization: Mill, Yen Fu, and Schwartz
Author: Fu-kien Chang
Abstract / Chinese PDF Download
This essay is a study of Mill’s On Liberty in the light of recent Mill’s scholarship together with an analysis of his contextual and textual backgrounds so as explicate the deep implications of the book. I then proceed to make a review of Yen Fu’s translation to evaluate whether his reading of Mill is correct and also whether Benjamin Schwartz’s critique of him is tenable. The essay tries to demonstrate that Mill defended individual freedom with an eye on the public good of community, stressed on individuality without losing sight of the significance of ascending and decline problem brought about to a civilization. In a word and on the whole, Yen Fu’s understanding of the On Liberty is more exact and profound. Schwartz’s critique, accordingly, paying less attention to Mill’s concerms with the issues of virtue, community and civilization, is dubious and elaboration wanting.