Positive and negative freedom
One of the most used and controversial words in the political
vocabulary is liberty or freedom. Because it has such a good emotive
ring to it (i.e. it is what Weldon (1953) calls a ‘hurrah!’ word), no one
can appear to be against it. Therefore philosophers and politicians
redefine freedom as that of which they approve. The result is that a
wonderful confusion of definitions of freedom has been produced by
political philosophers (Box 3.4).BOX 3.4 DEFINITIONS OF FREEDOM
64 CONCEPTS
consists in having of Government, and those laws by which their Life
and Goods may be most their own. It is not having a share in
Government.
(Charles I, ‘Speech from the Scaffold’, in Works, 1662: 454)The assurance that every man shall be protected in doing what he
believes to be his duty against the influences of authority and
majorities, custom and opinion.
(Lord Acton, History of Freedom,3)the mere impulse of appetite is slavery, whilst obedience to the law
which we prescribe ourselves is liberty.
(Rousseau, Social Contract, Book I, Ch. 8: 16)the absence of opposition.
(Hobbes, Leviathan, Ch. XXI: 204)the power a man has to do or forbear any particular action.
(Locke, Essay, II, Ch. XXI: 15)necessity transfigured.
(Hegel, Logik, §158)a participation in the revelation of what-is-as-such.
(Heidegger, Existence and Being, 334)