The main difference between liberty and freedom is that liberty is the state of being free from oppressive restrictions or control imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behaviour, or political views, while freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants.
In the modern context, liberty is a synonym for freedom. Therefore, most people use these two words, interchangeably.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Liberty
– Definition, Features
2. What is Freedom
– Definition, Features
3. Difference Between Liberty and Freedom
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Freedom, Liberty, Negative Liberty, Positive Liberty
What is Liberty
We can define liberty as “the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behaviour, or political views” (Oxford online dictionary). The concept of liberty typically involves free will. In fact, the word liberty comes from Latin liber, which means free. We can describe liberty as freedom from restraints and the freedom to act as one likes or wants. You can often observe the word liberty in slogans; for example, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” or “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”.
However, sometimes, liberty can be taken as something negative and harmful. The concept of negative liberty and positive liberty can be traced back to Kant, by this was first described in depth by Isaiah Berlin in the 20th century.
Positive liberty involves taking control of one’s life and realizing one’s fundamental purposes. In brief, it’s the freedom to do something, instead of freedom of restrains. Negative liberty, on the other hand, is the absence of constraints and obstacles. Discussions about negative and positive liberty usually occur in the context of social and political philosophy.
In most cases, liberty and freedom are synonyms. But some differentiate the two words as follows: freedom is the ability to do as one will and what one has the power to do, while liberty is the responsible use of freedom, without depriving anyone else of their freedom.
What is Freedom
Freedom can be defined in different ways: freedom is the power to do what you want to do: the right or power to move, speak, act or think freely, without any restraint or hindrance. Freedom can also refer to the state of not being a slave, prisoner, etc. or the absence of a despotic government. For example, freedom of speech is the right to express their opinions publicly without interference from the government, but this doesn’t extend to things like hate speech, bullying, etc. while freedom of religion is the freedom to express religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance.
In philosophy and religion, freedom has associated with free will and the absence of unjust or undue constraints and enslavement. When a person has the freedom to things, he or she will not be prevented by other forces.
Difference Between Liberty and Freedom
Definition
Liberty is the state of being free from oppressive restrictions or control imposed by authority on a person’s way of life, thoughts and behaviour, while freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants.
Differentiation
Freedom is the ability to do as one will and what one has the power to do, while liberty is the responsible use of freedom without depriving anyone else of their freedom.
Conclusion
Liberty is the state of being free from oppressive restrictions or control imposed by authority on a person’s way of life, thoughts and behaviour, while freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants.
Reference:
1. Carter, Ian. “Positive and Negative Liberty.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 2 Aug. 2016, Available here.
2. Gammon, Katharine. “What Is Freedom?” LiveScience, Purch, 27 June 2012, Available here.
3. “Liberty.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Mar. 2021, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “2599213” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “5568280” (CC0) via Pixabay
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