Liberty
Liberty, or freedom, is an important idea in politics. "Freedom is a central concept within modern political life."[1] The political idea of liberalism treats freedom as the highest political value.[1]
Negative and positive freedom
Writers often divide freedom into kinds. Negative freedom means that a person is free if nobody is holding them back or forcing them.[2] It can be described as freedom from constraints.[3] Some thinkers warn that positive ideas of freedom can carry a risk of tyranny.[3]
Freedoms in a democracy
Democracies protect several freedoms. "These include freedom of association, movement, speech, information, voting rights, and freedom of conscience."[4]
The writer Montesquieu warned in 1748 that there is no liberty when the same monarch or senate both makes and carries out the laws.[5]
Laski's views
Writing in 1931, Harold Laski argued that race, religion, birth and property should not stop anyone from using their rights as a citizen.[6] He believed that freedom is what allows people to put forward their demands.[7] He also wrote: "The limits of freedom are always set by the imminence of a threat to social peace."[8] This was his own opinion.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Axford, Barrie; Browne, Victoria; Huggins, Richard; Isaacs, Rico (2018). Politics: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 244. ISBN 9781317243748.
- ↑ Axford, Barrie; Browne, Victoria; Huggins, Richard; Isaacs, Rico (2018). Politics: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 245. ISBN 9781317243748.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Axford, Barrie; Browne, Victoria; Huggins, Richard; Isaacs, Rico (2018). Politics: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 246. ISBN 9781317243748.
- ↑ Axford, Barrie; Browne, Victoria; Huggins, Richard; Isaacs, Rico (2018). Politics: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 278. ISBN 9781317243748.
- ↑ Axford, Barrie; Browne, Victoria; Huggins, Richard; Isaacs, Rico (2018). Politics: An Introduction (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 325. ISBN 9781317243748.
- ↑ Laski, Harold J. (2015) [1931]. An Introduction to Politics. Routledge. p. 28. ISBN 9781317586708.
- ↑ Laski, Harold J. (2015) [1931]. An Introduction to Politics. Routledge. p. 38. ISBN 9781317586708.
- ↑ Laski, Harold J. (2015) [1931]. An Introduction to Politics. Routledge. p. 29. ISBN 9781317586708.