Mill's Harm Principle and Contemporary Public Policy

This project is concerned with applying J.S. Mill's harm principle to the policy issue of public health and
air pollution. Mill argued that the state or society's justification for interference with an individual's
behaviour is restricted only to protect harm to others. My research will focus on how the issues raised by
the harm principle, which typically considers the actions of individuals, carry over to the actions of
collectives. To do this, I will explore the policy issue of air pollution because, I argue, it is a problem of
collective action. Due to this, my research will consider how Mill's harm principle applies to cases of the
behaviour of collectives, rather than individuals.
This project will contribute knowledge as if we can identify groups that cause harm through air pollution,
we need to consider the justifications for implementing policy that restricts their behaviour. Additionally,
this project has significant local relevance given that Southampton has some of the worst levels of
pollution in the United Kingdom. The research will be specified into three areas. First, I will explore
whether the harm principle is consistent with restricting the behaviour of a collective which does, or
threatens, harm as a whole. Second, the research will consider whether the harm principle is consistent
with restricting the behaviour of individuals within a collective that does, or threatens, harm. Third, I will
question whether the harm principle warrants intervention in cases where small harms amount to larger
harms to the public health.