Freedom And Liberty, Liberalism Core Idea.

Question 1

What is Freedom and liberty

Answer 1

Freedom is the most important of all liberal values as early liberals objected the way in which authoritarian governments claimed the right to take decisions on behalf of the people in an attempt to regulate behaviour.

Freedom and liberty is the ability to make autonomous choices without unjust interference.

Question 2

Negative freedom, what is it, which thinker advocates it and which strand agree with it.

Answer 2

Negative freedom is freedom from external constraints such and restrictions by the government, it is supported obviously by classical liberals and specifically the great thinker Isaiah Berlin. ‘I am slave to no man’ clearly advocating a classical liberal perspective in the sense he does not coincide with any intervention by state or to be regulated by anyone else making his own decisions.

Question 3

Positive freedom what is it, which strand agrees with it and which key thinker advocates it.

Answer 3

Positive freedom is the freedom to achieve one’s potential with or without interference and support, therefore it is supported by modern liberals. John Rawls ‘justice is the first virtue of social institutions’ clearly stating justice is the more important quality in society and for bodies such as the government and legal systems ensuring a fair and just society with justice being its main priority.

Question 4

further analysis on negative and positive freedom.

Answer 4

Negative freedom assumes an equal playing field exists for society.

Positive freedom recognises structural inequality and the need for intervention, justifying redistributive politics to remove economic and social barriers on society.

Classical liberal believe the government taxation is coercion, the state forcefully taking money whereas modern liberals argue this taxation is the enabler of liberty .

Coercion is the use of force or pressure ro make someone act against their own will.

Question 5

Key points and terms

Answer 5

key points
1-freedom is the core liberal value but is interpreted in two opposing ways, negative and positive. Negative without constraint positive with support form state.

2-positive freedom supports modern liberal social justice aims

3- negative freedom priorities individual sovereignty.