Discussion Questions on Mill's Considerations on Representative Government

1. Why does Mill think that representative government is the best form of government -- better than both direct democracy and any anti-democratic form of government?

2. What do chapters 4 and 16 of Mill's Considerations tell us about the prospects for representative government in Iraq and Afghanistan?

3. One can infer from chapter 5 of Considerations that Mill would be very critical of the role that both the American Congress and various parliaments play in making laws. Why? Is he right?

4. What is Mill's view of colonialism?