An Analysis of President Duterte’s Rhetoric Using Mill’s Harm Principle

Abstract

The study analyzes the rhetorical contents of the 16 th Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. This study analyzes the contents of his public announcements using John Stuart Mill’s harm principle in the pursuit of maintaining social justice. It further aims to explain a) John Mill’s Harm Principle; the rhetorical contents of President Duterte’s edict; and his rhetoric manifestation of the harm principle for social justice. Content Analysis of the literature is used in explaining Harm Principle; thematic analysis is used to classify Duterte’s rhetorical contents and utilitarian manifestations. Harm principle has consequential, retribution, deterrent, rehabilitative intents that are manifested in a person’s credibility (ethos), audience effect (pathos) and argument (logos). Duterte’s speeches are variably categorized across all utilitarian intents which can describe him as a Rule Utilitarian or an Act Utilitarian.