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Mill and India

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The Mill Connection¬†¬† ¬†¬†¬†

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An interesting way to enlighten our historical perspective is to construct a parallel of something with which we are familiar by relating it to something with which we are unfamiliar. Four hundred years ago, the British formed an empire and a company that, sixty years later, helped them to conquer the continent and stay in power until 1947.¬† While the British Empire had many successes along it's way of establishing its economic prowess, it also left the an emotional mark with it's involvement in the slave trade and means of establishing its power. During its reign, the empire's control was held largely due to the East India Company's overarching economic arm of power that later consisted of sixteen companies -- Dutch, French, Danish, Austrian, Swedish, Spanish and Prussian--competing for economic power. Britain's intellectual thinkers and writers such as John Stuart Mill ran the company. Mill's connects in his writings to Jainism principles of not harming sentient beings, which relate to happiness of animals and other beings that suffer,though his career may have given him a burden of guilt. ¬†Further, this also connects a moral subconscious with many other things such as passages within John Stuart Mill‚Äôs Utilitarianism and On Liberty. But rather than solely diving into the obvious, perhaps a more interesting angle would explore historical aspects of John Stuart Mill‚Äôs writings, philosophies, scientific observations and views on politics and how they could have been influenced by India.¬† By exploring history and we can learn about the influence that India had on him in the bigger picture, whether it be directly or indirectly....

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Mill and the East India Company

¬†Unfortunately, Mill‚Äôs accomplishments with the East India Company are somewhat overlooked because of his father‚Äôs influence there and as a historian of India.¬† In addition, his accomplishments at the East India Company are also overshadowed because of his contributions to academia.¬† Mill is usually known in the Western world for his writings in science, economics, politics, and philosophy. His career at the East India Company led him down some rather interesting paths that represent his interests and influences that shaped his thought. It us also where MIll crosses the East and West thought process, which presumably influenced Mill‚Äôs writings. Additionally, his own contributions are overshadowed because of his contributions to academia in the Western world and his writings in science, economics, politics, and philosophy.¬† Mill‚Äôs work at the company and in India impacted many things for which he later became famous including capitalism.¬†¬† Mill's commitment to the East India Company reflects and lends a reference point to Mill‚Äôs thought process, which eventually produces some of his more notable works influenced by history, his father and education.

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¬†In his autobiography Mill writes, ‚ÄúI was born in London, on the 20th of May, 1806."5¬†¬† He goes on, ‚Äúand was the eldest son of James Mill, the author of the History British India.‚Äù6¬† History provides a direct connection between British India and the common practice of enslavement. The slave trade to the British colonies ended in 1807 and was abolished between 1834-38. The English connection to the Anglo-Caribbean sugar industry continued to dominate the world sugar industry and figures into a debate about whether Mill felt guilty about his company's involvement with slavery and the effects it had on his conscious and his afterlife. Mill once wrote a response to Thomas Carlyle denouncing the practice of slavery, yet he was involved with the company promoting atrocious practices. Additionally, In 1857-1858, a bill was presented to Parliament that sought the dissolution of the East India Company and the shifting of the responsibility of India to the Crown.¬† At this point, Mill was asked to defend the interests of the company.¬†¬† Mill spent over half of his life working for the East India Company. After¬†this, the only employment he had was in the House of Commons.7 The great revolt brought clouds on the Indian horizon and Indian mutiny broke out in 1857, but was later quelled.

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During the eighteenth century, the Catholic Church's tendency to oppose freedom of thought pressured scientists and created an environment that welcomed ideas supporting freedoms for individuals‚Äô viewpoints. However, some of the greatest minds were busy capitalizing ideas similar to beliefs of Buddhism and Hinduism and some people argued life was a creation of God; others argued faith was necessary for science. Contrary to today's times, the era of Mill consisted of many scientists known as believers. The emergence of Charles Darwin‚Äôs theories brought about many moral questions during the age including the ethical treatment of animals.¬† This concept of equal treatment provides a rationale behind our actions and animals and all other living creatures suffering the smallest measurable amount. However, Mill‚Äôs yardstick of morality measured actions as if actually measurable.

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¬†Utilitarianism

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John Stuart Mill's writing in Utilitarianism shows the connection between himself and India, and Buddhism and animal liberties.¬† In Utilitarianism, Mill writes ‚ÄúIn all ages of speculation one of the strongest obstacles to the reception of the doctrine that utility or happiness is the criterion of right and wrong has been drawn from the idea of justice.‚Äù Mill also writes that ‚ÄúThe creed which accepts as the foundation of morals ‚Äúutility‚Äù or the ‚Äúgreatest happiness principle‚Äù holds actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness‚Äù. 4 Mill's use of happiness as a yardstick of morality can be compared and extended to the Buddhist principle of non-harm. Buddhism‚Äôs fundamental principle is to engage in actions that do not cause harm. Furthermore, the Buddhist principle of reincarnation means that humans can be reborn as animals and animals can be reborn as humans.¬† This promotes rationalization for following the principle of non-harm. The absolute highest state of being for a person involves ending the suffering of all living beings, not only humans. When people engage in non-harm to animals, and thereby eliminate suffering, it can be assumed that this creates a happy state and that therefore things are morally correct.

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Utilitarianism and On Liberty are Mill's most direct and obvious ties to animal liberties because they utilize basic practice of creating happiness and protecting minorities, but they are not the only ties. Similar to the Buddhist belief system, James Mill held education as a primary objective for his son. Directly, Mill also connects to India and Buddhism, because the history of Buddhism originated in India, though it has currently faded out and become almost non-existent. A comparison of Buddhism and Mill's writings also connect the principles of non-harm to sentient beings similarly.¬† Historical analysis‚Äôs, including his essays, reveal influential elements of enlightenment; they also reveal compassion and a healthy sense of guilt, which are two elements of Buddhism. J.S. Mill seemed to accept, if not cleverly promote, suffering which sheds light on the idea Mill may have considered himself enlightened through his philosophies compared to his actions.

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Ethically, Mill's link to slavery contradicts moral philosophies he authored, symbolizing the nature of the time. On one hand, the era consisted of questions posed about morality or religious values.¬† On the other, the nineteenth century was a period of materialist philosophies with the empire achieving its goals at any cost, which contradicted the majority's belief system.¬† It could be argued Mill accepted this as part of necessary suffering and viewed thought he‚Äôd achieved enlightenment. Contrarily, his definition of Utilitarianism provides an opposite ideal, ‚ÄúThose who know anything about the matter are aware that every writer, from Epicurus to Bentham, who maintained the theory of utility meant by it, not something to be contradistinguished from pleasure, but pleasure itself.‚Äù10 Mill is certain history is fallacious, yet seemingly utilizes it for his own sake avoiding any mention of enslavement or imperial domination over weaker countries leaving historical questions about his morality. Mill claimed to be agnostic, leaving a number of questions about the possibilities of the origins of his moral beliefs. Mill's strange connection with India opens many avenues of explorations where conclusions can be drawn in relation to karma and the treatment of animals according to Buddhist principles. Notably, the well-to-do authors of the era seemingly made a hot topic out of the ethical treatment of animals

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The Victorian response to animal cruelty‚Ä®‚Ä®

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It‚Äôs not difficult to see an animal can feel pain in the same manner as humans through merely observing.¬†Victorian literature seems to heavily address animals and their treatment as a moral platform. Buddhist¬†insight, spurious or not, found in Anna Sewell‚Äôs novel Black Beauty reflects the topic of the treatment of animals. She writes, ‚ÄúThere was no oppressed or ill-used creature that had not a friend in them, and their servants took the same tone.‚Äù 8¬†In Black Beauty, Ginger says, ‚ÄúWhen I return from work, my neck and chest were strained and painful, my mouth and tongue tender, and I felt worn and depressed‚Äù. Sewell‚Äôs imagination poses a moral question when she lends a human voice to a horse, though It does not take the imagination of a Victorian novelist to consider the reality that animals have feelings. We may conclude this much by observing an animal. Historical references show John Stuart Mill was more than a novelist because of his influence and curiosity to into many topics such as religions.¬† In additions to his life in India, he used a great deal of animal metaphors, if you will, in his writings to articulate his thoughts and where perhaps a subconscious connection to India as Buddhism‚Äôs origin. In Animal Rights by Henry Salt, he explores the slaughtering of animals for food, ‚Äúsome excuse seems necessary for the pain and loss which we occasion to animals by restraining them of their liberty, mutilating their bodies, and at last putting an end to there lives for our pleasure or convenience‚Äù. 9 It‚Äôs seemingly more rational and compassionate to consider the fact that animals do sacrifice their lives in order for us to eat. The slaughtering of our fellow creatures not only conflict with the principles of Buddhism, they conflict with the laws of common sense and human compassion. They also deny animals of their liberties. In modern society it is sometimes argued that people who are unaware of animal rights according to Buddhism. Henry Salt wrote similar to the belief of Buddhism, ‚ÄúBut, it may be argued, vague sympathy with the lower animals is one thing, and a definite recognition of their ‚Äòrights‚Äô is another; what reason is there to suppose that we shall advance from the former phase to the latter‚Äù1 To this sort of remark one might reply, ‚Äúlook back, and you will find in their case precisely the same exclusion from the common pale of humanity; the same hypocritical fallacy, to justify that exclusion; and, as a consequence, the same deliberate stubborn denial of their social ‚Äúrights‚Äù." 2 Exploring our history along with literature allows us to gain knowledge as well as make a pretty good guess as to where modern ethical standards come from.

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Word Count: 1,911

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1 Salt Henry, Animals‚Äô Rights, SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS, INC. (Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania), 21‚Ä®

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2 Salt Henry, Animals‚Äô Rights, SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS, INC. (Clarks

Summit, Pennsylvania), 21‚Ä®

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3 Mill John Stuart, Classics of Western Philosophy Vol. 6 (Hacket Publishing Company Inc.), On Liberty (Indianapolis/Cambridge:2002),

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41051‚Ä®4http://online.sfsu.edu/~rone/Buddhism/BuddhismAnimalsVegetarian/Buddhism%20and%20Animal%20Rights.htm‚Ä®5

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5 http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/British/jsmill.html‚Ä®6

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6 http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/British/jsmill.html‚Ä®7

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7 http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/British/jsmill.html‚Ä®8 Sewell

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8 Anna, Black Beauty; PAVILLION BOOKS LIMITED (London), 48‚Ä®9 Salt Henry,

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9 Animals‚Äô Rights (SOCIETY FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS, INC. (Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania), 57‚Ä®

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10 Mill John Stuart, Classics of Western Philosophy Vol. 6 (Hacket Publishing Company Inc.), Utilitarianism‚Ä®(Indianapolis/Cambridge:2002), 1019

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Photo 1: http://www.crossingwallstreet.com/archives/jsm1.jpg

Photo 2: http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/756/487528.JPG

Photo 3http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b283/Peripatus/pleasureandaggregation.gif

Photo 4 http://www.iwab.org/horse%20gored.jpg

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