An individual does not make a community, and a community does not make a society. To have a functioning and prosperous society requires giving up some free will in exchange for protection. According to On Liberty by John Stuart Mill, there are some rights of the individual that the government may never possess. Centuries after the publication of Mill's Essay, the court case Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegeta l, 546 US 418 (2006) questioned the government's protective role against the free exercise of religion. In this case, Mill would agree with the court's ruling because, like his views regarding the free exercise of the will, restrictions of government, and majority rule, both the court's ruling and Mill's ideals are about the best interest of the individual rather than the greater good. of the company. The complete free exercise of the will inhibits individual and social freedom. According to Mill, one can act as one wishes unless one is causing harm to others. He maintains that one is free to behave "according to one's own inclination and one's own judgment in matters that concern oneself" as long as one "abstains from harassment" (64). The problem arises in the freedom granted to the person who carries out the potentially dangerous act. People are often blinded by the situation they find themselves in and the personal motivations that drive them to act. Human beings, by nature, have potentially harmful defects and vices. It is society's responsibility to anticipate harm, both to itself and to others. Once dangerous patterns and habits are recognized, it is imperative to anticipate and prevent the recurrence of injuries. Allowing harm to be inflicted on any individual forces citizens to lose three......middle of paper......centuries. Mill presents a clear and insightful argument, arguing that the government should not concern itself with people's free will unless explicit harm has been done to an individual. However, such ideals do not build a strong, lasting community. It is the government's job to always act in the best interests of preventing harm and encouraging free thought. Works Cited Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao Do Vegetal. United States Supreme Court. 2006. Google Scholar. Network. February 21, 2011. .Mill, John Stuart, and Gertrude Himmelfarb. On Freedom. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1974. Print.