On Social Freedom facts for kids
The first page of On Social Freedom in a magazine from 1907.
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| Author | Thought to be by John Stuart Mill; likely by Ebenezer R. Edger |
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| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Individual and Societal Freedom |
| Genre | Philosophy |
| Publisher | Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd. |
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Publication date
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1907 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 57-83 |
On Social Freedom is an essay about how much freedom people should have in society. It was first believed to be written by the famous British thinker John Stuart Mill. However, later on, experts discovered that he probably didn't write it at all.
Contents
Discovering a Hidden Essay
This essay was found in 1907. It was among the things left behind in the home where John Stuart Mill had died in Avignon, France. People were very excited because they thought it was a new work by the famous philosopher.
The essay was published in June 1907. It appeared as a special article in a magazine called The Oxford and Cambridge Review. Later, in 1941, it was published again by Columbia University Press. But it still didn't get much attention.
Doubts About the Author
For many years, people believed John Stuart Mill wrote On Social Freedom. But in the 1950s, a scholar named J.C. Rees started to have doubts. He was an expert on Mill's writings.
In 1955, a publisher wanted to print the essay with Mill's famous work, On Liberty. But because of Rees's questions, they decided not to. Rees then wrote a book in 1956. In it, he explained why he believed Mill was not the true author.
Uncovering the Real Author
So, if John Stuart Mill didn't write it, who did? J.P. Scanlan, another scholar, explained Rees's ideas. It turns out there was a clue in Mill's own letters.
A Letter from Mill
In September 1862, Mill wrote a letter from Avignon. It was sent to a person named E.R. Edger. Mill was writing back to Edger, who had sent him a manuscript. A manuscript is a handwritten or typed text, like a draft of a book or essay.
Edger's manuscript was titled "Social Freedom." It seems Edger wanted Mill to say if he was a good philosopher. Mill replied politely. He said Edger's work showed "promise rather than performance." This means it had potential, but wasn't perfect yet.
Mill encouraged Edger to keep thinking and writing. But he also warned him not to forget about earning a living. Mill also mentioned that he disagreed with some of Edger's ideas. He especially didn't like Edger's definition of freedom. This letter strongly suggests that Edger was the real author.
Who Was Ebenezer R. Edger?
The letter from Mill is part of his Collected Works. In these works, E.R. Edger is identified as "probably Ebenezer R. Edger." He was connected to George Holyoake, who helped start the co-operative movement. This movement was about people working together for shared benefits.
Edger also wrote for a newspaper called The Secular World. He wrote articles about co-operation. George Holyoake himself mentioned Edger in his book, The History of Co-operation.
Holyoake shared a report from Edger about a co-operative farm. Edger visited the farm and felt it wasn't truly co-operative. He noted:
- It was only for people living in that specific area.
- Each person could only own one share.
- Members had no say in how the farm was run.
- Workers' wages were the same as usual.
- There was no special reason for workers to become shareholders.
This report shows Edger was interested in social and economic ideas. It fits with the topic of On Social Freedom. There is also a record of an E.R. Edger passing a medical exam in 1869. This suggests he was a well-educated person.
So, while On Social Freedom was once a mystery, it seems Ebenezer R. Edger was the true writer.
