The state and morality: A position between Mill and Aristotle

Abstract

The present essay revolves around the justification that the state may have to interfere in the morality of society or the individual. It will discuss the topic taking into account two postures: moral authoritarianism and the liberal posture. This is done with the goal of finding, in the comparison, a posture that takes the best of both of them. The ideas of Aristotle, in his work Politics, will be used to represent the first posture. Meanwhile, the ideas of John Stuart Mill, in his book On Liberty, will represent the second one. Lastly, it will be concluded that the state must have a concern in morality and it can not remain neutral; however, the reach of its influence is hard to define.