paternalism
Sign in to savethumb|Child wearing a child harness Paternalism is action that limits a person's or group's liberty or autonomy against their will and is intended to promote their own good. It has been defended in a variety of contexts as a means of protecting individuals from significant harm, supporting long-term autonomy, or promoting moral or psychological well-being. Such justifications are commonly found in public health policy, legal theory, medical ethics, and behavioral economics, where limited intervention is viewed as compatible with or even supportive of personal agency.
Article
12 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Types
- Soft and hard
- Pure and impure forms
- Moral and welfare
- Criteria for effective paternalism
- Opponents
- In society
- Paternalism and slavery
- See also
- References
- Further reading
thumb|Child wearing a child harness Paternalism is action that limits a person's or group's liberty or autonomy against their will and is intended to promote their own good. It has been defended in a variety of contexts as a means of protecting individuals from significant harm, supporting long-term autonomy, or promoting moral or psychological well-being. Such justifications are commonly found in public health policy, legal theory, medical ethics, and behavioral economics, where limited intervention is viewed as compatible with or even supportive of personal agency.
Some, such as John Stuart Mill, think paternalism can be appropriate towards children, saying: