Bentham's specific policies remained respectable as did his pupil, [[John Stuart Mill]]. Mill's "On Liberty" remains a classic in [[classical liberal]] thought. The failure of utilitarianism as a foundation is evident as Mill ended his life as a socialist. While a few libertarians main a defense of liberty on pure utilitarian grounds, utilitarian thought generally leads to socialism for the simple reason that immediate pleasure is more certain that abstract calculations. Politicians who promise free goods to the electorate easily buy votes in a more hedonistic oriented culture. | Bentham's specific policies remained respectable as did his pupil, [[John Stuart Mill]]. Mill's "On Liberty" remains a classic in [[classical liberal]] thought. The failure of utilitarianism as a foundation is evident as Mill ended his life as a socialist. While a few libertarians main a defense of liberty on pure utilitarian grounds, utilitarian thought generally leads to socialism for the simple reason that immediate pleasure is more certain that abstract calculations. Politicians who promise free goods to the electorate easily buy votes in a more hedonistic oriented culture. |