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John Millar (22 June 1735 – 30 May 1801) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, and economist, and a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. He was a pupil of Adam Smith and held the Regius Chair of Civil Law at the University of Glasgow for nearly forty years. Millar is renowned for his pioneering work in historical sociology and his materialist interpretation of history, which emphasized the influence of economic conditions (the "mode of subsistence") on social institutions, laws, government, and customs, including the status of women.

John Millar was born in Shotts, Lanarkshire, the son of a Church of Scotland minister. He was educated at the University of Glasgow (1746–1751), where he was notably influenced by Adam Smith, who was then Professor of Moral Philosophy. After graduating, he spent two years as a tutor in the household of Henry Home, Lord Kames, another prominent Enlightenment figure, which further exposed him to contemporary intellectual debates. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1760.

In 1761, at the age of 26, Millar was appointed Regius Professor of Civil Law at the University of Glasgow, a position he held until his death in 1801. His lectures were immensely popular, attracting students from across Britain and Europe, including future politicians and intellectuals. He was known for his engaging teaching style and his liberal Whig political views, which sometimes brought him into conflict with more conservative elements. Millar's lectures covered not only Roman law but also jurisprudence, government, and history, often drawing connections between economic development and social structures.

Millar's work is characterized by its systematic attempt to explain social and political development through underlying economic and material conditions.

Historical Materialism: Millar is considered one of the earliest proponents of a materialist conception of history, predating Karl Marx. He argued that the "mode of subsistence"—how people produce the necessities of life (e.g., hunting, pastoralism, agriculture, commerce)—was the primary determinant of a society's laws, government, manners, and social hierarchy. Changes in the mode of subsistence would lead to corresponding changes in these social institutions.
Stages of Social Development: Like other Enlightenment thinkers (including his mentor Adam Smith), Millar posited a stadial theory of history, typically identifying four stages:
- Hunting and Gathering: Characterized by minimal property, little social hierarchy, and basic forms of governance.
- Pastoralism: Introduction of domesticated animals, leading to greater wealth disparities and more complex social structures.
- Agriculture: Settled life, development of landed property, feudalism, and more established forms of government and law.
- Commerce: Marked by manufacturing, trade, the rise of towns, a merchant class, and a greater degree of liberty and refined manners.
The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks: In his most famous work, The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks (1771), Millar applied his materialist framework to explain variations in authority and subordination across different societies and historical periods. He examined:
- The authority of a chief over his tribe.
- The authority of a husband over his wife.
- The authority of a father over his children.
- The authority of a master over his servants. He argued that the status of women, for example, tended to improve with the development of commerce and refinement, as brute strength became less important and intellectual and social qualities gained prominence.
Development of Government and Liberty: In An Historical View of the English Government (1787), Millar traced the development of the English constitution from Anglo-Saxon times to his own. He argued that the rise of commercial society in England was crucial for the development of political liberty and parliamentary government, as it empowered new classes (like merchants and manufacturers) who sought to limit monarchical power.
Economic Influence on Law: Millar consistently showed how legal systems evolved in response to changing economic realities, particularly concerning property rights, contracts, and personal status.

John Millar was highly respected in his lifetime, though his reputation was somewhat overshadowed by Adam Smith and David Hume in the longer term. However, his work has been increasingly recognized by modern scholars for its originality and its anticipation of later developments in sociology, anthropology, and historical materialism. He is seen as a crucial link between the Scottish Enlightenment's social science and 19th-century thinkers. His emphasis on empirical observation and the interconnectedness of economic, social, and political phenomena remains relevant.

1771: The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks; or, An Inquiry into the Circumstances Which Give Rise to Influence and Authority in the Different Members of Society. (Later editions, e.g., 1779, 1781, were expanded).
1787: An Historical View of the English Government, from the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain to the Accession of the House of Stewart. (Volume 1 & 2).
1803 (posthumous): An Historical View of the English Government, from the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain to the Revolution in 1688. (Volumes 3 & 4, edited by John Craig and James Mylne, extending the work based on Millar's manuscripts and lecture notes).
Various pamphlets and shorter pieces, some published anonymously, on contemporary political issues (e.g., on the American War of Independence, parliamentary reform).

John Millar (22 June 1735 – 30 May 1801) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, and economist, and a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. He was a pupil of Adam Smith and held the Regius Chair of Civil Law at the University of Glasgow for nearly forty years. Millar is renowned for his pioneering work in historical sociology and his materialist interpretation of history, which emphasized the influence of economic conditions (the "mode of subsistence") on social institutions, laws, government, and customs, including the status of women.

John Millar was born in Shotts, Lanarkshire, the son of a Church of Scotland minister. He was educated at the University of Glasgow (1746–1751), where he was notably influenced by Adam Smith, who was then Professor of Moral Philosophy. After graduating, he spent two years as a tutor in the household of Henry Home, Lord Kames, another prominent Enlightenment figure, which further exposed him to contemporary intellectual debates. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1760.

In 1761, at the age of 26, Millar was appointed Regius Professor of Civil Law at the University of Glasgow, a position he held until his death in 1801. His lectures were immensely popular, attracting students from across Britain and Europe, including future politicians and intellectuals. He was known for his engaging teaching style and his liberal Whig political views, which sometimes brought him into conflict with more conservative elements. Millar's lectures covered not only Roman law but also jurisprudence, government, and history, often drawing connections between economic development and social structures.

Millar's work is characterized by its systematic attempt to explain social and political development through underlying economic and material conditions.

Historical Materialism: Millar is considered one of the earliest proponents of a materialist conception of history, predating Karl Marx. He argued that the "mode of subsistence"—how people produce the necessities of life (e.g., hunting, pastoralism, agriculture, commerce)—was the primary determinant of a society's laws, government, manners, and social hierarchy. Changes in the mode of subsistence would lead to corresponding changes in these social institutions.
Stages of Social Development: Like other Enlightenment thinkers (including his mentor Adam Smith), Millar posited a stadial theory of history, typically identifying four stages:
- Hunting and Gathering: Characterized by minimal property, little social hierarchy, and basic forms of governance.
- Pastoralism: Introduction of domesticated animals, leading to greater wealth disparities and more complex social structures.
- Agriculture: Settled life, development of landed property, feudalism, and more established forms of government and law.
- Commerce: Marked by manufacturing, trade, the rise of towns, a merchant class, and a greater degree of liberty and refined manners.
The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks: In his most famous work, The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks (1771), Millar applied his materialist framework to explain variations in authority and subordination across different societies and historical periods. He examined:
- The authority of a chief over his tribe.
- The authority of a husband over his wife.
- The authority of a father over his children.
- The authority of a master over his servants. He argued that the status of women, for example, tended to improve with the development of commerce and refinement, as brute strength became less important and intellectual and social qualities gained prominence.
Development of Government and Liberty: In An Historical View of the English Government (1787), Millar traced the development of the English constitution from Anglo-Saxon times to his own. He argued that the rise of commercial society in England was crucial for the development of political liberty and parliamentary government, as it empowered new classes (like merchants and manufacturers) who sought to limit monarchical power.
Economic Influence on Law: Millar consistently showed how legal systems evolved in response to changing economic realities, particularly concerning property rights, contracts, and personal status.

John Millar was highly respected in his lifetime, though his reputation was somewhat overshadowed by Adam Smith and David Hume in the longer term. However, his work has been increasingly recognized by modern scholars for its originality and its anticipation of later developments in sociology, anthropology, and historical materialism. He is seen as a crucial link between the Scottish Enlightenment's social science and 19th-century thinkers. His emphasis on empirical observation and the interconnectedness of economic, social, and political phenomena remains relevant.

1771: The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks; or, An Inquiry into the Circumstances Which Give Rise to Influence and Authority in the Different Members of Society. (Later editions, e.g., 1779, 1781, were expanded).
1787: An Historical View of the English Government, from the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain to the Accession of the House of Stewart. (Volume 1 & 2).
1803 (posthumous): An Historical View of the English Government, from the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain to the Revolution in 1688. (Volumes 3 & 4, edited by John Craig and James Mylne, extending the work based on Millar's manuscripts and lecture notes).
Various pamphlets and shorter pieces, some published anonymously, on contemporary political issues (e.g., on the American War of Independence, parliamentary reform).

John Millar (22 June 1735 – 30 May 1801) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, and economist, and a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment. He was a pupil of Adam Smith and held the Regius Chair of Civil Law at the University of Glasgow for nearly forty years. Millar is renowned for his pioneering work in historical sociology and his materialist interpretation of history, which emphasized the influence of economic conditions (the "mode of subsistence") on social institutions, laws, government, and customs, including the status of women.

John Millar was born in Shotts, Lanarkshire, the son of a Church of Scotland minister. He was educated at the University of Glasgow (1746–1751), where he was notably influenced by Adam Smith, who was then Professor of Moral Philosophy. After graduating, he spent two years as a tutor in the household of Henry Home, Lord Kames, another prominent Enlightenment figure, which further exposed him to contemporary intellectual debates. He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1760.

In 1761, at the age of 26, Millar was appointed Regius Professor of Civil Law at the University of Glasgow, a position he held until his death in 1801. His lectures were immensely popular, attracting students from across Britain and Europe, including future politicians and intellectuals. He was known for his engaging teaching style and his liberal Whig political views, which sometimes brought him into conflict with more conservative elements. Millar's lectures covered not only Roman law but also jurisprudence, government, and history, often drawing connections between economic development and social structures.

Millar's work is characterized by its systematic attempt to explain social and political development through underlying economic and material conditions.

Historical Materialism: Millar is considered one of the earliest proponents of a materialist conception of history, predating Karl Marx. He argued that the "mode of subsistence"—how people produce the necessities of life (e.g., hunting, pastoralism, agriculture, commerce)—was the primary determinant of a society's laws, government, manners, and social hierarchy. Changes in the mode of subsistence would lead to corresponding changes in these social institutions.
Stages of Social Development: Like other Enlightenment thinkers (including his mentor Adam Smith), Millar posited a stadial theory of history, typically identifying four stages:
- Hunting and Gathering: Characterized by minimal property, little social hierarchy, and basic forms of governance.
- Pastoralism: Introduction of domesticated animals, leading to greater wealth disparities and more complex social structures.
- Agriculture: Settled life, development of landed property, feudalism, and more established forms of government and law.
- Commerce: Marked by manufacturing, trade, the rise of towns, a merchant class, and a greater degree of liberty and refined manners.
The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks: In his most famous work, The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks (1771), Millar applied his materialist framework to explain variations in authority and subordination across different societies and historical periods. He examined:
- The authority of a chief over his tribe.
- The authority of a husband over his wife.
- The authority of a father over his children.
- The authority of a master over his servants. He argued that the status of women, for example, tended to improve with the development of commerce and refinement, as brute strength became less important and intellectual and social qualities gained prominence.
Development of Government and Liberty: In An Historical View of the English Government (1787), Millar traced the development of the English constitution from Anglo-Saxon times to his own. He argued that the rise of commercial society in England was crucial for the development of political liberty and parliamentary government, as it empowered new classes (like merchants and manufacturers) who sought to limit monarchical power.
Economic Influence on Law: Millar consistently showed how legal systems evolved in response to changing economic realities, particularly concerning property rights, contracts, and personal status.

John Millar was highly respected in his lifetime, though his reputation was somewhat overshadowed by Adam Smith and David Hume in the longer term. However, his work has been increasingly recognized by modern scholars for its originality and its anticipation of later developments in sociology, anthropology, and historical materialism. He is seen as a crucial link between the Scottish Enlightenment's social science and 19th-century thinkers. His emphasis on empirical observation and the interconnectedness of economic, social, and political phenomena remains relevant.

1771: The Origin of the Distinction of Ranks; or, An Inquiry into the Circumstances Which Give Rise to Influence and Authority in the Different Members of Society. (Later editions, e.g., 1779, 1781, were expanded).
1787: An Historical View of the English Government, from the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain to the Accession of the House of Stewart. (Volume 1 & 2).
1803 (posthumous): An Historical View of the English Government, from the Settlement of the Saxons in Britain to the Revolution in 1688. (Volumes 3 & 4, edited by John Craig and James Mylne, extending the work based on Millar's manuscripts and lecture notes).
Various pamphlets and shorter pieces, some published anonymously, on contemporary political issues (e.g., on the American War of Independence, parliamentary reform).