Harm principle facts for kids

The harm principle is a big idea about freedom. It says that people should be free to do whatever they want, as long as their actions don't hurt anyone else.

A famous thinker named John Stuart Mill wrote about this idea in 1859 in his essay On Liberty. He believed that the only good reason to stop someone from doing something, against their will, is to prevent them from harming others.

This idea was also in France's Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789. It said that freedom means you can do anything that doesn't hurt others. The only limits on your natural rights are those that make sure everyone else has the same rights. These limits can only be set by law.

Even earlier, in 1785, Thomas Jefferson wrote something similar in his "Notes on the State of Virginia". He said that governments should only have power over actions that harm others.

What is the Harm Principle?

The harm principle is a core idea in libertarianism. This is a political belief that focuses a lot on individual freedom. It means that no one should be forced to stop doing something if their actions don't get in the way of other people's freedom.

The harm principle is found in old legal documents. For example, it was in the first English-language constitution from 1647. This document was called "An Agreement of the People".

John Stuart Mill also included the harm principle as one of the important rights that come from having liberty, or freedom.

When is an action harmful?

Harm isn't just a simple idea. It means that an action is wrong because it causes damage or injury to another person.

Harm can also happen if someone doesn't do something they are supposed to do. For example, if you have a duty to help someone and you don't, that could cause harm.

Who does the Harm Principle apply to?

In his book On Liberty, John Stuart Mill said his principle didn't apply to everyone. He thought it didn't apply to people with mental illness or to children. He also used the term "barbarians" for people he thought were like children in their understanding.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen also had limits. It didn't apply to women, slaves, foreigners, or children because they were not considered citizens at that time.

Today, people usually interpret the harm principle differently. Modern ideas about this principle do not make differences based on a person's race or sex.

Broader Ideas of Harm

The idea of harm can be wider than just hurting one person. It can also mean harm to a group of people or to society as a whole. This is important for understanding harm that happens slowly over time. For example, if something causes pollution, the harm might not be seen right away. But it can be predicted.

This wider idea of harm can apply to many situations. It includes things like a company releasing pollution into the environment. It also relates to rules about who can do certain jobs (licensing). It even touches on the right to speak out against the government, which is called sedition.

Modern Examples of the Harm Principle

The Harm Principle in US Politics

In the United States, the Libertarian Party includes a version of the harm principle in its official rules. This shows how important the idea of individual freedom is to their political beliefs.

Thinking Critically About the Harm Principle

Some experts have discussed that the harm principle can be hard to use. They say it doesn't always clearly define what counts as harm. This can make it difficult for a government to decide when it should step in and punish people for their actions.

If an action seems morally wrong but doesn't cause clear harm, it's hard for the government to act. The harm principle's definition of harm can be unclear. This makes it hard to know what justifies a government's involvement.

Experts also point out that the harm principle doesn't clearly say how a government should intervene. This lack of clarity could allow a government to decide what counts as harmful on its own. This might put a person's freedom and rights at risk. It would not be fair for a government to intervene if its action would hurt more people than it would help. The harm principle's scope is sometimes seen as too broad to easily apply rules or punishments.

See also

• Ahimsa - A principle of non-violence.
• Classical liberalism - A political idea focused on individual rights.
• Primum non nocere - A Latin phrase meaning "first, to do no harm."
• Do no significant harm principle (DNSH) - A rule to avoid major harm.
• Law of equal liberty - The idea that everyone should have equal freedom.
• Libertarianism - A political philosophy that values individual liberty.
• Non-aggression principle - The idea that starting force or fraud is wrong.
• Wiccan Rede - A saying in Wicca: "An it harm none, do what ye will."