With the exception of Athenian democracy and Rome during its republican era, humanity, to the extent that it has been subject to government control, for much of Its history has been constrained and dominated by monarchical rule regimes. This classic form of adversarial government consisted of the tyranny of self-proclaimed (and therefore illegitimate) rulers over a class of subjects. However, this system of power underwent a fundamental transformation, as representative democracies began to replace monarchical government. Unfortunately, the emergence of democracy or “government by the people” has given rise, without premeditation, to another form of repression. John Stuart Mill recognized that the “will of the people” would give rise to the tyranny of the majority through both legal procedure and custom. Unlike many forms of government which are weak due to their heavy reliance on excessive coercion, majority despotism can be long-lasting because it threatens both individual self-development and freedom by enslaving the consciences of its citizens. Mill's harm principle allows society to overcome this threat by providing a model in which a democratic majority would legitimately exercise its powers over the liberties of every member of a state. John Stuart Mill provided a better understanding of the role that individualism plays in the rejection of intellectual and moral authority. According to Mill, every democratic society is driven by the masses and, as a result, those who are classified as minorities are inclined to decisions made by the majority. In other words, the minority is weakened, because the actions taken by a state, both nationally and internationally, are carried out regardless of the objections of the minorities. Furthermore, in a……middle of paper……human nature is “stubbornness,” as well as corruption, and that “there is no redemption for anyone until human nature is killed within” humanity (Mill 75 ). Calvinist theory holds that we should not be able to think, speak, or act the way we want because our human nature is evil and must be oppressed. In rebuttal to this argument, Mill argues that it is only by bringing out and cultivating human nature, “within the limits imposed by the rights and interests of others, that human beings become a noble and beautiful object of contemplation” (Mill 76). He goes on to state that “through this same process human life also becomes rich, diverse, and animated, providing more abundant nourishment for elevated thoughts and elevating feelings, and strengthening the bond that binds each individual to the race, making the race infinitely worth better belonging to ” (mill 76).