Mill’s Utilitarianism and the Earth Charter

Excerpts from the Paper

Mill’s Utilitarianism and the Earth Charter
The Earth Charter points out that every form of life has value, and that the wars and way we have misused the earth have done harm; this is a highly moral statement that goes further than Mill’s because it gives specific examples of the result of our not living by a principle of what is best for all. In its desire to “promote the common good” it seems the perfect example of Mill’s Utilitarianism. It even goes further than Mill, or is more specific in how to help save the earth: it includes protecting the rights of women and children, and the idea of strengthening “democratic institutions.” It even includes not engaging in “cruelty to animals.” However, the Charter finally calls for laws, while...

..... problem. The Charter is a bit more specific—for example, we must minimize the extraction of fossil fuels—but who will help us enforce these suggestions? Will “democratic institutions” change their character—without a world organization to monitor them? Mill and the Charter speak of education as a means; but education is also suffering in the world right now. The Charter asks, at the end, for the United Nations to help build agreements…but that organization has not been effective recently. And where will the money come from to do all that is needed? Law, which the Charter finally asks for, is what must support the change. Laws would be effective; mankind will not change its character just because someone says it must—even at the bitter end.