An Introduction to Freedom

7/30/2009.

There is no such thing as the freedom to enslave others.

What impedes freedom is the unjustified use of force to compel people to act against their interests. A rule of law that permits this use of force impedes freedom as well, but a rule of law that prohibits it does not.

Force is not inherently good or bad, collective action is not inherently good or bad.

Force used to preserve rights is good. Force used to infringe rights is bad. Collective action and laws to preserve rights and freedoms are good. Collective actions and laws that infringe on freedom is bad.

Not every restriction is a restriction on freedom. If I restrict you from initiating force, that preserves freedom. If I restrict you from doing what you wish with what is there's even though you respect that same right in others, then I infringe on your freedom.

Laws do not inherently restrict freedom, they can equally well preserve it. Collective rule does not inherently restrict freedom, though such rules and rulers may be capable of doing so.

Freedom is the freedom to do what you wish with what is yours provided you respect that same right in others. It is not freedom to do whatever you wish. It is not freedom to take what is others or prevent them from enjoying their freedoms. There is no such thing as the "freedom to enslave" and restrictions against coercion preserve freedom rather than restricting it.

Definition of freedom:

Freedom is the absence of coercion that would prevent you from doing what you wish which that which is yours, other than that coercion needed to secure the corresponding right in others. Or, to put it another way, freedom is the absence of unjustified coercion.

The word "freedom" (particularly when used as "freedom from") can mean the absence of any particular thing. But the political concept is specifically the absence of unjustified coercion or threats that would prevent you from doing what you wish (other than, of course, coercion or threats needed to secure the same right in others).

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Freedom of expression.

Freedom of expression means that there is no freedom from blasphemy. Others are certainly free to express themselves by blaspheming what you hold sacred if you wish. If X is free to do Y, then Z cannot be free from X doing Y.

It's hard to find someone who objects to free speech when the speech is limited to only things that don't offend them.