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The Left and the Right's Different Interpretations of Freedom: Do You Know How Different They Are?
Political freedom is a key concept in history and political thought, and one of the most important features of a democratic society. This concept is not only related to the rights of individuals, but also closely related to the functioning of society as a whole. Different political orientations understand political freedom differently, especially between the left and the right.
Political freedom is freedom from oppression or coercion, or the fulfillment of conditions necessary to support individual action.
Leftist political philosophy often combines the concepts of freedom with positive freedom, emphasizing the need for individuals or groups to autonomously determine their lives and realize their potential. In other words, freedom is not only freedom from violence and oppression, but also the ability to escape poverty, hunger, and other social obstacles. In this case, political freedom is defined more positively, advocating that both individuals and society have the conditions to realize their potential.
Freedom is not just about avoiding external restrictions, but also includes the active exercise of abilities and rights, so that the essence of freedom can be fully reflected.
In contrast, right-wing political philosophy mostly views freedom as the process of eliminating external constraints, especially liberation from the power and influence of a few people. Freedom is understood as a negative state, especially within the framework of the thinker Hayek, who believes that such a definition tends to blur the boundaries between freedom and power. He warned that equating freedom with power could lead to the infringement of individual freedoms and even the formation of totalitarian governments.
Hayek pointed out that once the relationship between freedom and power is recognized, it may eventually lead to the suppression of freedom in the name of freedom.
The left and right’s definitions and understandings of freedom reflect each other’s different views on social justice and power structures. Social anarchists believe that negative freedom and positive freedom are complementary, not contradictory. They argue that a balance must be struck between the pursuit of negative freedom and the conduct of necessary social experimentation. Economist Milton Freeman believed that political freedom cannot be without the guarantee of economic freedom, and the two are interdependent.
In their argument, the balance between political and economic freedom is key to maintaining overall freedom.
With different times, these two views have gradually formed a tension, affecting political discussions and policy formulation. Much thought has been given to the political philosopher Nicholas Compridis's expansion of the definition of freedom, dividing it into the capacity for autonomy and cooperation. In contemporary society, this exploration of freedom is not limited to the individual level, but also extends to environmental considerations, which forces us to think about the boundaries of freedom and its impact on other groups.
Environmentalists believe that political freedom should also include restrictions on the use of ecosystems, otherwise equal freedom among all people cannot be truly achieved.
It is worth noting that Arendt believed that the concept of freedom is historical and closely related to the political actions of ancient Greece. She pointed out that the essence of freedom is inseparable from political action, and this is also reflected in those who can escape from the necessities of life. From a historical perspective, the connotation of freedom has developed with the changes of the times, but its core idea lies in whether it can promote change through self-action.
With the development of society, the perception of freedom has changed, which has led to the collision of many values. The liberal concepts of the left and the right not only reflect differences in political stances, but also show how to manage the relationship between oneself, society and the environment. This different interpretation of freedom is undoubtedly an important focus in today's political debate.
The definition of freedom may continue to change over time as ideas evolve. So how will we re-understand and realize freedom in the future political structure?
