Riccardo Rovelli, Professor
of Economics,
Università di Bologna
Comments & Debates (also in
Italian)
Insegnamenti / Teaching :
· Economia dell'UE (Marzo-Maggio 2012 – LM SID, Forlì)
·
Economics of the
EU (in English: March-April
2012, LM EC, Bologna)
·
Politica
Economica (Marzo-Aprile 2012, L SID, Forlì)
Email
: riccardo.rovelli @ unibo.it
Links : Orari di
ricevimento / Office Hours
·
Dipartimento
di Scienze Economiche
***
John Stuart
Mill, On liberty (1859)
(Ch.1). There is … in the world at large an increasing
inclination to stretch unduly the powers of society over the individual, both
by the force of opinion and even by that of legislation: and as the tendency of
all the changes taking place in the world is to strengthen society, and
diminish the power of the individual, this encroachment is not one of the evils
which tend spontaneously to disappear, but, on the contrary, to grow more and
more formidable. The disposition of mankind, whether as rulers or as
fellow-citizens, to impose their own opinions and inclinations as a rule of
conduct on others, is so energetically supported by some of the best and by
some of the worst feelings incident to human nature, that it is hardly ever
kept under restraint by anything but want of power; and as the power is not
declining, but growing, unless a strong barrier of moral conviction can be
raised against the mischief, we must expect, in the present circumstances of
the world, to see it increase.
(Ch.4). In the conduct of human beings
towards one another, it is necessary that general rules should for the most
part be observed, in order that people may know what they have to expect; but
in each person's own concerns, his individual spontaneity is entitled to free
exercise.