Liberty: The right to choose

Liberty or else freedom is simply the right of the individual to act as they choose. Apart from the term individual liberty, the term ‘National Liberty’ is employed in connection with the achievement of sovereignty by people. Though in traditional senses liberty was specified for civil or political matters, with the modern concepts the idea of liberty further connotes a generalized body of rights, such as the right to economic opportunity and education

RIGHTS AND RESTRAINS

Even in ‘Utopias’, an idea or a perfect community, completely unrestricted freedom of action would make peaceful human existence impossible. This is the reason that in every community, it is inevitable to have some restrictions on freedom of actions. These codes of actions are recognised in all intents and purposes as the as the basic limitation. Hence Liberty could be defined in relation to such codes as “the right of individuals to act without restraint as long as their actions do not interfere with the equivalent rights of others.” In much simpler terms liberty rejects the acts that do violate the rights of others.

For centuries, since the beginning of forming communities, philosophers and lawmakers have faced the important issue of the nature and extent of the restraints to be imposed on civilians and the selection of the means of enforcing them. As a solution, almost all the discussions and research finally arrived have led them to recognize the importance of the fundamental need for a government, with the understanding that it is necessary to have one person or a group of individuals empowered to impose and enforce whatever restraints seemed necessary. In the resent years, much value has also been placed on the need for laws to define the nature and extent of these restraints.

ANARCHISM

The concept of anarchism is an exception to the theory of forming a ruling body where it refuses or objects the concept of a government as Anarchists believe that the highest attainment of humanity is the freedom of individuals to express themselves, unhindered by any form of repression or control from without.

Even though the theory tries to create a perfect balance between the right of an individual to act without undue interference and the need of the community to restrain freedom of action, it has been unable to achieve this state practically. Historical events reveal that social progress from a state of anarchy, through a period of despotism (a rule by a tyrant) during which liberty was nonexistent or restricted to one privileged group. Yet it has gradually stepped into a state of liberty and a democratic government for people naturally desires to be free.

THE SPREADING OF LIBERTIES

Ages ago, liberty meant only national freedom as slavery was happening and was believed to be a necessity in the social institutions. During the medieval times, liberty was only a privilege of a few which forced several social groups to wrest certain privileges from the sovereigns. This kind of struggles ultimately resulted in agreements like Magna Carta (Latin, “Great Charter”), a document with the seal of King John of England on June 15, 1215, with several promises to his subjects on how he would govern England.

With the passing of the Middle Ages, during the time of the Renaissance, it raised the question of intellectual freedom, challenging the established dogma of the Catholic church and later it began to further promoted ideas of religious freedom and freedom of conscience.

REVOLUTIONS

Among many other freedom struggles, three main revolutions are highlighted for it helped to define freedom struggles and to ensure its preservation.

In the 17th century, England had to face the Glorious Revolution, which was a result of several hundred years of gradual imposition of judicial and legislative restraints upon the monarchy. As a solution, the British parliament drafted the English Bill of Rights in 1689, establishing a representative government system in England.

American Revolution, that took place in 1776 and fought for individual liberty with those of creating a new state. The revolution also reflected the long-term freedom struggles that took place in England. And just as England, the American Revolution was able to lay the foundation for a proper ruling with the U.S. Constitution. In its first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, the Constitution established guarantees of civil rights.

France, on the other hand, faced the French revolution in 1789 and was able to destroy the Feudal system practiced during the time and then establish a representative government. The leaders of the French Revolution believed that liberty was a natural privilege of the man with the right to act without interference from any source. However, they agreed on the fact that there should be limitations to this freedom with voluntary submissions so it could be enjoyed by the whole social organization. This theory was challenging to the divine right of kings to rule as the new theory believed that the source of all governmental power was the people. French Revolution became the influence of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen which served as a model for most of the declarations of liberty adopted by European states in the 19th century.

LIBERTY TODAY

Since the revolutions, the most obvious issue that concerns the national liberty is to achieve the state of economic, political and cultural stability and to achieve full sovereignty within a country. With respect to individual liberty, the freedom struggles aim to preserve and extend civil rights, such as freedom of speech, voting and education.

As the nations grew in size and social complexity, the authorities must make sure that their citizens are enjoying their rights equally while looking into ways to prevent or minimise individuals and groups exploiting their liberties unnecessarily.