Introduction to Political Theory

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1

Chapter 2


Freedom


Introduction


Freedom is regarded by many as the pre-eminent political value, but what
does it mean to be free? Do we have to justify freedom, or do it we take it as
axiomatic that we should be free, and that it is restrictionson freedom which
require justification? And what are those justifications? If we go into the street
and survey people’s attitudes to freedom, we might find that they favour the
freedom to do things of which they approve, but would like the state to use
its power to restrict freedom to do things of which they disapprove. Is there
then a principledway to establish what we should be free to do? At the core
of freedom is the idea of ‘choice’, but can we choose to do anything we want?

Chapter map


In this chapter we will:


  • Provide a working definition of
    freedom.

  • Outline one of the most important
    contributions to the debate over
    freedom – that advanced by John
    Stuart Mill in his book On Liberty– and
    use Mill’s argument as a framework for
    discussing other perspectives on
    freedom.

    • More specifically, we will consider the
      distinction between action and
      expression; harm to self and harm to
      others; and offensive (the offence
      principle) and legal moralism.

    • Illustrate arguments over freedom
      through the use of case studies, and,
      in particular, the debate over whether
      consensual sadomasochism should or
      should not be prohibited by law.



Free download pdf