On Liberty is a philosophical treatise by the British philosopher John Stuart Mill about the relationship between authority and liberty and the role of the government in society. Mill was a utilitarian philosopher, believing that ethics should be founded solely on creating the most good for the most people. Mill prized individualism above all else since, he believed, people know how to make themselves happy. As a result, Mill argues against government intervention in matters of personal freedom where nobody else will be harmed.
The term freethinking is used often in the play Almost all the characters except for Aslaksen and the mayor claim to be freethinkers it is important to note which of them sticks by their claims and to see exactly what the term freethinking means in a closely knit democracy The mayor raises a number of solid complaints against Dr Stockmanns proposal to fix the baths It is easy to root for the doctor and to see the mayor as a corrupt politician but it is not Ibsens intent to create a play of good