Journal of Liberal Studies
Volume 21, No. 2 — March 2026
ISSN: 0794-9928
J.S. Mill on Paternalism and Individual Autonomy: Revisiting the Question of Domestic Violence
Joshua Nnadimma Ayozie, M.A (PhD-in-view)
Department of Philosophy
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Pages: 76–84
ORCID: 0009-0009-5930-0095
Abstract
This paper tends to examine the link between harm (Domestic Violence), paternalism, and individual autonomy in African marriages in the light of J.S Mill. The recent wave of domestic violence is such that patriarchal nature of African marriages in the midst of modernism and globalization needs to be reviewed. In the midst of all these, Mill recommended respect for individual autonomy, limitation to individual freedom to prevent harm on another person and paternalism when imminent harm on another person is foreseeable. This work is defending the thesis that the ethical implications on Mill’s Position are not yet addressed and rather than solving the existing problem, it breeds Contradiction leading to domestic violence. Hence it recommends reconciliation between paternalism and Individual autonomy, power dynamics and cultural sensitivity in this regard to handle and ameliorate domestic violence. The qualitative research method was employed in this work. This was based on philosophical cum logical analysis. The data for the work were collected from books, journal, articles, dictionaries and biographies, both from hard copies and online. And these were analyzed using historical and logical analysis.
Keyword: Individual Autonomy, Paternalism, Domestic violence, power dynamics,
| Publication Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Liberal Studies |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | No. 2 |
| Publication Date | March 2026 |
| ISSN | 0794-9928 |
| Pages | 76–84 |
| Author | Joshua Nnadimma Ayozie, M.A (PhD-in-view) |
Full Article
Read or download the full article from the March 2026 issue of the Journal of Liberal Studies, Volume 21, No. 2, pp. 76–84.
How to Cite This Article
Ayozie, Joshua Nnadimma. “J.S. Mill on Paternalism and Individual Autonomy: Revisiting the Question of Domestic Violence.” Journal of Liberal Studies, Vol. 21, No. 2, March 2026, pp. 76–84.
