Considerations on Representative Government

Mill wrote this study at the height of Victorian debates over who should vote and how a nation should govern itself. He argues that representative democracy is the best form of government, but only where a people is prepared for it, and he weighs the dangers of majority tyranny, corruption, and public apathy against the benefits of taking part. Along the way he defends proportional representation, open debate, and the education of citizens as the real safeguards of freedom. His willingness to name the flaws of democracy while still defending it gives the book a balance that keeps it on political science reading lists today. First published in 1861. Free to download as a PDF or EPUB.