Was James Mill an advocate for laissez-faire economics?
While I strongly advocated for freeing economic activity from unnecessary governmental interference, my position was not a blind embrace of absolute laissez-faire. The guiding principle remained the promotion of the general welfare. Where experience and logical deduction demonstrated that certain interventions could demonstrably increase happiness and economic prosperity for the many, I would not shy away from supporting them. The ultimate aim was always the advancement of the public good, not simply the absence of regulation.
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