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THE CENTRALITY OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN JOHN STUART MILL’S LIBERAL-UTILITARIAN CONCEPTION OF DEMOCRACY A thesis submitted to the University of London in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D) b y Atila Amaral Brilhante School of Public Policy University College London May 2007 UMI Number: U591281 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U591281 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 SIGNED PAGE I, Atila Amaral Brilhante, confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis. ABSTRACT This thesis argues that accountability was a central concern in Mill’s liberal-utilitarian political thought. This concern was a product of his conviction that a truly democratic society, which permitted individuals to develop their deliberative capacities, was possible only where there was an equilibrium of power. Without such an equilibrium, the danger was that the majority would impose conformity with its own values and practices. It is argued that Mill proposed the institutionalisation of debate in order to aid individuals in the use of critical reasoning, which he regarded as an essential component of human well-being and a necessary means for the improvement of society. He saw the protection of individual liberty from the encroachment of the majority, and the multiplication of the centres of power in society, as instrumental in rendering the masses accountable, and thereby preventing stagnation. Mill aimed to protect individual liberty by preventing the formation of power which was unaccountable both in the public and private spheres. He thought that a balance of power in all areas of society promoted co-operation in political, economic, and family relations. In this sense, unchecked forms of economic power were as detrimental to society as unchecked forms of political power, in that they both brought about tyranny. Mill adopted the optimistic belief that the institutionalisation of debate would make human beings into altruistic moral agents. This thesis argues that Mill's liberal-utilitarian conception of democracy makes a significant contribution to political theory, in that it enshirines the ideas that a well-ordered society prevents individuals, groups, and governments from improperly imposing their wishes over others, and that socio-political reforms have to take into account the characteristics of human nature and national character, and the historical trends operating in society. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements 08 Dedication 11 Introduction 12 Chapter 1. The Secret Ballot and The Badge of Slavery 1.1. Introduction 16 1.2. Ballot and Participation 18 1.3. J.S Mill and the Secret Ballot in Historical Perspective 21 1.4. Comments on the Ballot 42 1.5. The Secret Ballot and the Badge of Slavery 56 1.6. Conclusion 60 Chapter 2. J.S. Mill, Tocqueville, and Democracy 2.1. Introduction 63 2.2. The Power to Rival that of the Masses 66 2.3. Some Problems regarding Mill and Tocqueville 80 2.4. Mill, Tocqueville, and Democracy 91 2.5. Conclusion 113 6 Chapter 3. The Electoral System and Democracy 3.1. Introduction 116 3.2. Plural Voting 118 3.3. Hare’s Plan for Proportional Representation 133 3.4. Mill’s Democratic Ideals and Institutions 147 3.5. Conclusion 159 Chapter 4. Women’s Enfranchisement and Accountability 4.1. Introduction 161 4.2. Mill on Women’s Issues 163 4.3. Commentators on Mill on Women’s Issues 176 4.4. Mill, Women's Issues, and Liberalism 183 4.5. Conclusion 199 Chapter 5. J.S. Mill on Economic Democracy 5.1. Introduction 201 5.2. Mill’s Political Economy 203 5.3. State Interference and Democracy 212 5.4. Mill’s Chapters on Socialism and Democracy 222 5.5.Conclusion 239 7 Chapter 6. Mill on Utility and Democracy 6.1. Introduction 241 6.2. Mill’s Conception of Utility 243 6.3. Reflections on Mill’s Concept of Utility 255 6.4. Mill on Utility and Liberty 268 6.5. Mill’s Utilitarianism and Democracy 279 6.6.Conclusion 288 Chapter 7. General Remarks and Final Conclusions 291 Bibliography 297 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I could not have written this thesis without the aid of many friends and colleagues. I acknowledge some of them here, but I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone that has helped me to pursue my academic objectives. I owe a debt of gratitude to my wife Sandra. While I was in Britain, she had to bear alone responsibilities that we should have shared. Although telephone calls were no substitute for personal contact, speaking to our children Atilinha and Luquinhas was a constant source of encouragement to me. Continuing my studies back in Brazil, they remained my main source of happiness. On this occasion, as in many others before, my father Jose Brilhante Macedo and my mother Maria Emy Amaral Brilhante have been a great help to me. I thank them again for their financial support, but also for their enthusiasm for my studies. I would like to thank my father-in-law Estenio Titara de Mesquita and mother-in-law Stella Titara de Mesquita for being there for Sandra when I was unable to be. To the House of Mercy, and particularly Irene Peixoto Bezerra and her mother Ivan Bezerra, I would like to express my deep gratitude for their constant prayers. The Phone calls Irene made to me while I was in Britain were an important source of encouragement. For the same reason, I thank Timothy McMahon. I would like to thank Professors Luis Alberto Peluso and Maria Cecflia Maringoni de Carvalho for writing the letters of reference that helped me to come to Britain. Professor Peluso supervised my Master's dissertation and encouraged me to study utilitarianism, while Professor Cecilia helped me to deepen my knowledge of contemporary philosophy and provided me with a model of intellectual honesty. I must express my gratitude to Dr. Harriet Knight for help with my English expression. She gave generously of her time and expertise. Professor Frederick Rosen's experience, patience, and extensive knowledge were instrumental in helping me define the field of investigation of this thesis. He contributed significantly to the improvement of my work. Thank you for everything. Professor Philip Schofield continued the supervision of my thesis with expertise and liberality. I am particularly grateful for his suggestion that I consider more seriously the influence of utilitarianism in Mill's political thought. Thank you for everything. I acknowledge a debt of gratitude to the Department of Philosophy of the Federal University of Ceara (UFC) and to the Coordination of Training of Higher Education Graduate (CAPES) for financial and institutional support. I also wish to thank the members of the School of Public Policy and of the Bentham Project, UCL, for providing environment of intellectual cooperation. 11 To the Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy Hindrance Beyond the pain and pleasure I found the right measure Treatises, essays and books in all I had a look but nothing could I see unless what hides the truth that love still remains beyond pleasure and pain. Written in Edinburgh on 20 April 1999. INTRODUCTION It is evident that almost all of the commentaries produced since the early 1860s on John Stuart Mill's political philosophy in general, and on his account of democracy in particular, have serious deficiencies.