On Liberty is a book written by John S. Mill. The main idea of this book is to elaborate and approve the value of human freedom and rights. There is a chapter which called "Of the Limits to the Authority of Society over the Individual". In this chapter, the author talked about the relationship between individual and society. First, he admitted that some parts of individual in life belong to society, and others belong to him or herself. A person absolutely has individual rights and interests. As they don’t hurt the interests of other people, an individual’s rights and interests can have an inviolable space to work. Many people want to get maximal benefit. However, this sometimes may bring harm to other people. For example, a person wants to play karaoke at night. Unfortunately, this act breaks the silence of others. His or her neighbors won’t appreciate it and that is not correct. Before exercising right, a person has to make sure that people around him or she won’t suffer any inconvenience or harm.
Even though the individual rights and interests are important for a person, it doesn't mean that people can be an egocentric who only cares about him or herself. The selfless contribution from individual is needed by society. Every public matter or development needs many individuals’ participation. In this way, the society can gain maximal interests. Besides, an individual who lives in society has the obligation to return the favor to it in any ways. Actually, everyone in society gets much benefit from it. A person may be protected by society or enjoy the use of the contribution from other people, such as public facilities. A person doesn’t have to pay and also can make use of them. Therefore, returning to the society is an individual’s obligation. Unless a person can live without any connection with other people and can live totally by him or herself without other help, like a hermit. He or she doesn’t have any obligation to anyone but to self.
The author of On Liberty not only argued the importance of individual freedom and rights but also revealed the principles about dealing on individual and society. Society should respect individuals. However, individuals also have responsibility to society. John Mill talked about this topic from moral angle. I think this relationship is not only about moral issue but also nature instinct. Humans are social species. Helping each other is the way that people solve their real-life problems. Self-sacrifice is a form of help; it includes spending individual time, energy, property, life, and …so on. Some people may question the necessity of individual sacrifice for the society. Indeed, there are some personal interests with public interests appearance. However, a matter relates to genuine society’s interests needs many individuals’ participation or devotion. If a person ignores the society’s trouble, it may finally come to him or her. Moreover, if a person furthers the public interests, he or she may get the return in some ways.Source:
http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/four.html
Mills seems to inherit the legacy from social contract theorists(from Hobbes,Locke and Rousseau,they argue that individual renders the right to protect himself while grants government/objective others the power of mediation;Because you say individual is indebted to society)Rationalism and liberalism contribute to the revolution in United States and France.People believe in possibility of self-governing as to combat the monarchy.However,the problem confronts us.Our self governing establishes on bourgeois democracy,which inevitably leads to class struggle.Because the world revolving around capitalism just enriches a small part of humankind.
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