increased. The result would be a prospering economy. Mill felt the third scenario most likely, and he assumed technology advanced would have to end at some point. But on the prospect of ever intensifying economic activity, Mill was more ambivalent. "I confess I am not charmed with the ideal of life held out by those who think that the normal state of human beings is that of struggling to get on; that the trampling, crushing, elbowing, and treading on each other's heels, which form the existing type of social life, are the most desirable lot of human kind, or anything but the disagreeable symptoms of one of the phases of industrial progress. I General characteristics of a Progressive State of Wealth II Influence of the Progress of Industry and Population on Values and Prices III Influence of the Progress of Industry and Population on Rents, Profits, and Wages IV Of the Tendency of Profits to a Minimum V Consequences of the Tendency of Profits to a Minimum VI Of the Stationary State VII On the Probable Futurity of the Labouring Classes Book V on the Influence of Government In his fifth book, Mill outlined the government’s role in upholding liberty within society through necessary tasks, those that are fundamental to the government’s existence, and optional tasks, those that would arguably benefit the public if implemented. The necessary tasks mentioned include the protection of citizens from invasion, the safety of domestic life, and regulations on private property and the resources it produces. He states that the government must be cautious when intervening in economic issues to avoid disrupting the natural demand for freedom between consumers and producers to trade, he mentions this again when referring to the long-run negative impact of protectionism. However, he also notes the potential benefits of government intervention, including the expansion and maintenance of markets through subsidized exploration and the construction of lighthouses. These are examples of public goods and externalities in modern economics. Mill states that while the market fails to solve certain societal issues, the government must uphold both progress and liberty in its intervention within the market. Like his other work, specifically On Liberty (1859), Mill claims that government activity is justified so long as it is beneficial to society and does not infringe upon any individual’s freedom, other than limits on conduct to prevent harm to others, or on conduct which would affect