 Nowadays, Mill's argument is generally accepted by many democratic countries, and they have laws at least guided by the harm principle.For example, in American law some exceptions limit free speech such as obscenity, defamation, breach of peace, and "fighting words".Mill, an employee of the British East India Company from 1823 to 1858, argued in support of what he called a "benevolent despotism" with regard to the colonies.