The need for liberty lies deep within the very essence of the human entity. It seems that only in a state of freedom can the human being be provided with the propitious premises for a harmonious evolution. Even if the cultivation of high spiritual values and a number of great cultural, social and scientific achievements were also possible in ?freedom-lacking? environments, we must understand that those cases were only the exceptions to the rule and stood as testimony for the will and determination of the humanity to surpass any obstacles put in its way.
Given its overwhelming importance, the connotations of liberty have been deeply and almost exhaustively studied by philosophers, sociologists and last but not least by politicians.
First of all, what does liberty mean? It means acting in whatever way you see fit for satisfying your own interests, desires and expectations to the extent that you don?t infringe upon the very same liberties of the others. There can be no freedom without compromise, or, in other words, you cannot dispose of absolute freedom, for the others, at their turn, would no longer be bound to respecting your own and will therefore deprive you of it. So the only way liberty can be achieved is through consensus among its bearers.
Politically speaking, liberty is only possible in societies lead by a legitimate government, as Karl Jaspers accurately remarked. Legitimacy of government is a term that can comprise various meanings, out of which the most important are the legitimacy of heredity and the legitimacy of free universal vote. Both forms can be contested and are subject to well-founded doubt: while heredity can legitimate both the idiot and the vulgar, vote is partially conditioned by error and sheer occurrence, and very often it is the result of temporary mass suggestion. But given the fact that there can be only one choice between despotism and legitimacy, we must make do with any wants the latter might encompass. In our times, the most suited form of legitimacy is considered to be free universal voting.
As I stated before, the freedom of the individual is possible only to the extent it coexists with the freedom of the others. Therefore, in order to maintain his own liberty, one has to permanently respect in his own actions the liberties of the people surrounding him. But from the juridical point of view, the individual is also entitled to a very own and intimate ?area of action?, area in which he can act in whichever way he desires without any kind of concern regarding the others and which cannot be violated by any means or by anyone. This is what we call negative liberty. The intimate life of the individual is his concern only. No one is allowed to interfere, not even the state or the ruling authority. Negative liberty is a natural right of each person and it is not provided by any kind of authority whatsoever. Through negative liberty the individual can isolate himself for a certain period of time from the rest of the society and the society is unable of contesting his decision. No one can exert any sort of control upon what you think, upon the manner in which you choose to live your private life, etc. The problem is that negative liberty could be wrongly comprehended and used by certain people, leading to their actual detachment from the society in which they live in, to a more permanent isolation than it should normally be. In any case, the infringement upon negative liberty is totally unacceptable in a democratic society, especially if it is done by the state. For the sake of fully respecting human rights and the principle of equity, state intervention should be diminished in all aspects of social, economic and political life, not only in the ?sacred? area delimited by the negative liberty. But when a government violates the very natural rights of the individual, we can no longer discuss of democracy, but of tyranny.
Except these basic rights, which we were given by nature alone (the right to be born, the right to live, the right for nourishment, the right to procreate, and so on), there is a great number of rights and liberties which we were given by the state and which we wouldn?t normally enjoy: the right to medical care, the right for free education, the right to actively participate in the political life of the community, etc. The liberties assured by these rights can be generically called positive liberty. As the state is responsible for the positive liberty of the individual, this is the aspect of life where it probably involves most, seeking nothing but the welfare of the individual. Despite all that, numerous voices fervently contested even this sort of intervention, asserting that the involvement, in any manner, in the life of the individual is malefic. Moreover, they argued the most present and efficient form of state intervention, social welfare, lies at the foundation of any totalitarian system. It?s hilarious how much the Americans hate communists, but their welfare system is one of the world?s most developed, risking even to make the North Koreans jealous!
Positive liberty also presupposes the moral duty of opening yourself to the others instead of seeking isolation from them as in the case of negative liberty. You cannot beneficiate of positive liberty without coming in contact with your fellow citizens, without sharing, without being willing to understand and help the other. This is the reason why positive liberty often has an ethical connotation.
?Est modus in rebus? said the Latin. One should always choose the middle path and I?m afraid our case makes no exception. Summing up, one should keep his intimacy sacred and unviolated, but he should also be able to open up to the others when needed. The state shouldn?t intervene to the extent that it ends up disregarding rights instead of protecting them, but neither should it carelessly allow a human being to starve to death in the streets in front of its very ?eyes?. So positive and negative liberty are two fundamentally different elements which have to find a way of coexisting in order to form their harmonious and long coveted result: Freedom.
Другие работы по теме:
Home Burial Essay Research Paper In the
Home Burial Essay, Research Paper In the poem “Home Burial” by Robert Frost, it is easy to see both positive and negative aspects of both characters. I feel that Frost favors the man. Although he talks about how the man seems to not have feelings, the man actually does. The man feels sad for his dead child. He just goes about showing it in a different way.
Ralph Ellison S Invisible Man Essay Research
Paper Everyday, racism is perceived as a negative aspect of society. When people think of racism, they obviously see hatred, evil, and ignorance. It has been a part of world culture since recorded history and, no doubt, before that. When one thinks of racism in the United States, invariably, though not only, the struggle of the African American is singled out.
Po Essay Research Paper The article Child
Po Essay, Research Paper The article ?Child abuse ?rewires? brain, produces adult problems?, Marilyn Elias, talks about how child abuse and neglect cause brain damage, that may last throughout your adult life. Elias brings up Martin Teicher?s report, published in the journal Cerebrum, which states that the brain changes due to impact of a trauma.
Talk Shows Essay Research Paper Talk shows 2
Talk Shows Essay, Research Paper Talk shows affect society in a negative way by choosing dead end topics. Jerry Springer for example his producers pick topics such as ” I Cheated on You,” those kind of topics allows the American public to think that cheating is okay. Broadcasting topics like cheating, which aren’t positive create negative results.
James Ambrose Cutting Essay Research Paper Ambrotypes
James Ambrose Cutting Essay, Research Paper Ambrotypes were a direct positive process effect achieved on glass coated with light-sensitive collodion, backed with black paint, paper or even black velvet.. It is also known as a collodion positive. They are often confused with Daguerreotypes because they were often housed in dag cases and confused with Tintypes because the images look very similar..
Good Or Evil Essay Research Paper Is
Good Or Evil Essay, Research Paper Is Man Inherently Good, Bad, Both? Psychologists often struggle with the question does man have inherently good characteristics, or do they lead to the negative. What makes a man act the way he does? Is it nature, hormone imbalances, or the way he is raised? Man s intrinsic characteristics can be good bad or both.
Creative Poem Essay Research Paper Hope you
Creative Poem Essay, Research Paper Hope you are enjoying the Day! To have a friend, you must be a friend, Starting with yourself. The greatest hunger a person has is to be needed.
Leviathan By Hobbes Essay Research Paper Thomas
Leviathan By Hobbes Essay, Research Paper Thomas Hobbes in his book Leviathan, during the course of his argument about the social contract we make to surrender our rights of nature a sovereign in
Seven Kids Essay Research Paper Seven Kids
Seven Kids Essay, Research Paper ?Seven Kids Found in Squalor? A story of seven children being neglected brings a slew of negative emotions as a reader. This story of how Chicago police found seven children in an apartment in conditions that was less than ideal for children to live in. With only a carton of milk and the apartment being a rat-infested hole.
The Odyssey And The Pearl Loyalty Essay
, Research Paper The Odyssey and The Pearl: Loyalty Loyalty to another person or to a cause may be an admirable trait, but it can lead to either positive or negative consequences. In Homer’s epic The
Richard Cory By Edwin Arlington Robinson Essay
?, Research Paper The Use of Death in Poetry Poems reveal many inside thoughts of the speaker that can be interpreted by the reader. Death is expressed quite often in poetic work because of the simplicity to be able to express feelings. Suicide, for an example, is a form of death that may be used in poetry and is usually portrayed in a negative fashion.
Views Of Man
’s Nature Essay, Research Paper Man?s nature can be looked at in many different ways. Observing a few of the several views helps one to appreciate all of the positive and negative characteristics man has brought forth. The majority of the views are negative, or pessimistic, and they are attracted to the thought of whether man has any hope, whereas the positive views focus on the outstanding needs and abilities of man.
How Rap Effects Socity Essay Research Paper
Many individuals in our society today believe that the positive portrayal of violence and sex in rap music has negative effects on its listeners. Due to this widespread perception, many studies have systematically examined rap music for evidence of its negative effects.
Absolute Value Functions Essay Research Paper Absolute
Absolute Value Functions Essay, Research Paper Absolute Value Functions (y=a|x-b|+c) In an absolute value function “a” represents the slope of the equation. The slope is counted up or down, then both left and right thus producing the function’s “V” shape and its symmetry. If a*0 in the equation, then the “V” has and upward direction, but if a*0 then the “V” has a downward direction.
Where Lillies Bloom Report Essay Research Paper
In many works of literature a female character has a significant influence, positive or negative. Two characters that have an influence are Mary Call from the novel Where the Lilies Bloom, by Vera and Bill
Jane Eyre Childhood Essay Research Paper HOW
Jane Eyre Childhood Essay, Research Paper HOW DOES OUR CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AFFECT OUR LIVES Certainly every experience we have not only in our childhood but also in our entire life affects it either in a positive or a negative way. Experiences in our childhood are more important because those are the ones that bring up our character and personality.
Slavery And The Founding Fathers Essay Research
Paper When the issue of slavery and the Founding Father’s arise, it is clear that despite some of their noble actions, the Founding Fathers were indeed hypocritical to true American ideals in both action and in thought. Among the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson’s disposition on slavery was ambiguous as he contradicted himself many times on an issue that affected America for hundreds of years.
Transcendentalism Essay Research Paper Various authors have
Transcendentalism Essay, Research Paper Various authors have talked about the transcendentalist philosophy, have written many essays, poems, ECT. Transcendentalism is a philosophy that is practiced by few because of its drastic views. It is a difficult task to succeed; many people have found it difficult to go against society.
Industrial Age Essay Research Paper Industrial Age
Industrial Age Essay, Research Paper Industrial Age The Industrial Age had positive and negative aspects. First off it was a stepping- stone to launch us into today’s world. Without it, many of us would not be here today. A
Personal Mission Statement Essay Research Paper I
Personal Mission Statement Essay, Research Paper I believe that the following statements are very true for my personal mission statement. Hear both sides before judging. This statement most people should remember. So often people judge and say what they are thinking at the spur of the moment before really thinking the situation over and hear other sides before speaking.
Allen Ginsberg Essay Research Paper What exactly
Allen Ginsberg Essay, Research Paper What exactly does it mean to be American? What are the boundaries of freedom and liberty? Do we have the freedom to speak from the heart? Allen Ginsberg believed so, and he did just that.
Untitled Essay Research Paper As John Stuart
Untitled Essay, Research Paper As John Stuart Mills, I believe that my philosophy on government will satisfy the needs of the society. Throughout the 1880?s people have revolted under the circumstances that the government is focused on the society and the individual. My system focuses on liberty, meaning the rights and principles of the individual of a society.
Absolute Values In Radicals Essay Research Paper
Absolute Values in Radicals Absolute values in radicals is a very easy concept, once it is mastered. Basically an absolute value is the positive square root of the sum of the squares of the real and imaginary parts of a complex number. An absolute value sign is two straight lines that are place around the exponent to show that the value of the exponent is a positive number.
What Is Liberty Essay Research Paper What
What Is Liberty Essay, Research Paper What is Liberty? During the age of enlightenment many philosophes had different views on the definition of liberty. In the opinion of the philosophes , Voltaire, Smith, Montesquieu and Rousseau the four ideals were almost identical. Voltaire stated, Liberty is the life of the soul.
Statue Of Liberty Essay Research Paper I
Statue Of Liberty Essay, Research Paper I chose to write about the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty serves as a symbolic fixture of the principles America was founded on. She represents freedom, liberty, and opportunity. The location of the Statue of Liberty is an amazing feat in itself, it is right in the middle of a very wide and a very deep Hudson river, and at the time it was brought there, with the limited technology, was amazing.
Good Vs Evil Essay Research Paper Good
Good Vs Evil Essay, Research Paper Good vs. evil is an important concept. It is a life long struggle inside of you. In life, you are in a constant limbo between good and evil. One day, you might be in a good mood and the other day you might be in an evil, or bad mood. Before history and even in history, good vs. evil has always been a historic struggle.
Industrial Revolution Essay Research Paper Positive
Industrial Revolution Essay, Research Paper Positive & Negative Aspects of the Industrial Revolution In the end of the 18th century a new revolution in history would be formed. It brought positive and negative effects to the world and the people living in it. Inventions, ideas, and new ways of transportation were all positive outcomes of this revolution.
Negative And Positive Rights Essay Research Paper
Throughout societies in history and presently, we can see the employment of two primary forms of rights: positive and negative. The bulk of the following attempts to highlight the differences between the two. The proponents of each will also be discussed.
Immigration 3 Essay Research Paper Analysis of
Immigration 3 Essay, Research Paper Analysis of a Disagreement over Immigration The authors of the 3 articles on immigration reform all seem to agree that the 1990 immigration law is inadequate, but they agree on little else. They find different impacts on the workforce, positive and negative. And they differ sharply over whether recent levels of immigration help or hurt the economy: one writer suggesting higher levels of immigrants and the other two suggesting a reduced level.
Religion Or Cult Essay Research Paper When
Religion Or Cult? Essay, Research Paper When Does a Religion Become a Cult? When Does a Cult Become a Religion? I think that religion and cults are closely related. However, there can be many noticeable differences. In order for a religion to become a cult, it needs to develop into a negative form of expression.