Liberty and Freedom

The founders of the United States believed that liberty was the fundamental principle that their new government should be based on. It meant that people had the freedom to express their political views. In the Declaration of Independence, they wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

They believed liberty was based on the rule of law. The Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution outlines the nature of those liberties: freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion. These freedoms protected individuals from government control.

Liberty meant protection of “individual rights” and “personal property” by law. Government should not take away an individual’s “rights” or “property.” They belong to the individual. But John Stuart Mill’s famous essay “On Liberty” says there is one situation in which government can interfere with the freedom of individuals: to protect other individuals.

Liberty does not mean “permission” to do anything one wants. Liberty is the basic right of the individual against the government. It is best understood as “having the right to be treated as an equal with everyone else.”

Today, particularly in America, there are many who claim “rights” for themselves. This applies to gun ownership, political power, and the right to decide whether to get vaccinated or wear a mask. These people forget that there is one situation in which government can interfere with the freedom of individuals: to protect other individuals.

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