ke does not halt the rights of men to punish transgressions against them, this right of all men in a state of nature even if it entails the "power to kill a murderer, both to deter others from doing he like injury, which no reparation can compensate..." (Ebenstein 376) However Locke does recognize that the right of punishing of transgressions against oneself has great potential and temptation for abuse and corruption this is why Locke contends, "God has certainly appointed government to restrain the partiality and violence of men." (Ebenstein 382) Locke's definite optimism concerning the nature of man is clearly transferred to his opinion regarding man's freedom in political society. John Stuart Mill does not have the same optimistic view of the nature of man that Locke holds. However, he clearly has more faith in humans than the portrait Thomas Hobbes presents of man in Leviathan. A case can be made for Mill's negative view of humans because of his utilitarian themes throughout “On Liberty” which implies that if left to their own devices man will peruse his own interests even at the costs of his fellow man. Mill does not make a clear declaration exalting or condemning the nature of man. However, Mill does make clearly negative statements about the nature of man. "There has been a time when the element of spontaneity and individuality was in excess, and the social principle had a hard struggle with it." (Ebenstein 559) Mill's insinuation that the free and unrestricted actions of men can cause conflict is to be expected nonetheless it disguises Mill's true position on man's nature. This subtle inference to the use of spontaneity and individuality as a method of ordering one's actions somehow runs contrary to the social principle, and shows a clear mistrust of man's unrestricted and uninhibited side. Another crucial factor that undoubtedly influenced the amount of freedom Mill and Locke believed man ought to have in political ...
