Ch. II: The Criterion of a Good Form of Government (p. 167)
“
Whenever the general disposition of the people is such, that each individual regards those only of his interests which are selfish, and does not dwell on, or concern himself for, his share of the general interest, in such a state of things, good government is impossible.
— John Stuart Mill
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Whenever the general disposition of the people is such, that each individual regards those only of his interests which are selfish, and does not dwell on, or concern himself for, his share of the general interest, in such a state of things, good government is impossible." in the context of "Ch. II: The Criterion of a Good Form of Government (p. 167)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "John Stuart Mill" (Quotes, On Representative Government (1861): Three Essays: On Liberty; Representative Government; The Subjection of Women. Oxford University Press, 1975, )
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Tags
About John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), also known as J. S. Mill, was an English political philosopher and economist who was an advocate of utilitarianism.
About John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 8 May 1873), also known as J. S. Mill, was an English political philosopher and economist who was an advocate of utilitarianism.
View all quotes →