🕊️ Freedom (स्वतंत्रता)
❇️ What is Freedom?
- The English word Liberty comes from the Latin word “Liber”, which means absence of restrictions (बंधन का अभाव).
- Generally, Freedom = absence of restrictions and limitations (प्रतिबंधों व सीमाओं का अभाव).
- Freedom is often understood as the right to do whatever one wants (जो चाहे सो करने का अधिकार).
- In other words, Freedom means:
- Right to do what one is capable of doing.
- Opportunity for self-expression (आत्म-अभिव्यक्ति).
- A condition where individuals can develop their talent (प्रतिभा का विकास).
❇️ Views on Freedom
🔶 Hobbes
- According to Thomas Hobbes, Freedom means “doing what one wants”, which he called the state of licence (स्वच्छंदता).
- This was available in the State of Nature (प्राकृतिक अवस्था).
🔶 Barker
- Freedom is linked with the freedom of others (दूसरों की स्वतंत्रता से जुड़ी).
- True freedom = Scope for personality development + Rational restrictions (तर्कसंगत बंधन).
🔶 Modern Leaders
- In the 20th century, leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Aung San Suu Kyi opposed discriminatory, exploitative, and oppressive policies (भेदभावपूर्ण व दमनकारी नीतियां).
- They made Freedom the ideal of their life.
❇️ Types of Freedom
1️⃣ Natural Freedom (प्राकृतिक स्वतंत्रता)
- Complete freedom to do anything one desires.
- No restrictions on human actions.
2️⃣ Personal Freedom (व्यक्तिगत स्वतंत्रता)
- Freedom of choice in personal matters.
- Right to life security (जीवन की सुरक्षा का अधिकार).
- Freedom of thought, expression, and belief (विचार, अभिव्यक्ति व आस्था की स्वतंत्रता).
3️⃣ Political Freedom (राजनीतिक स्वतंत्रता)
- Right to participate in state affairs.
- Right to vote (मतदान का अधिकार).
- Right to contest free & fair elections (निष्पक्ष चुनाव में खड़े होने का अधिकार).
- Right to support or oppose government policies (सरकार की नीतियों का समर्थन/विरोध).
4️⃣ Economic Freedom (आर्थिक स्वतंत्रता)
- Right to pursue any occupation or trade.
- Right to freedom from poverty (अभाव से मुक्ति).
- Right to produce & distribute goods (वस्तुओं का उत्पादन व वितरण का अधिकार).
❇️ Freedom of Expression (अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता)
- Closely linked to the minimum area of non-interference (अहस्तक्षेप का लघुत्तम क्षेत्र).
- John Stuart Mill, in his book On Liberty, gave strong arguments for freedom of expression, even for those whose ideas seem wrong or misleading today (गलत या भ्रामक विचार भी व्यक्त करने का अधिकार).
🔶 Four Strong Arguments (Mill’s View)
1️⃣ No idea is completely false – Every opinion has some element of truth.
2️⃣ Truth emerges from the clash of opposing views.
3️⃣ Ideas are tested & proven only when opposed (विरोध से ही विचार की विश्वसनीयता साबित होती है).
4️⃣ Truth is not permanent – An idea rejected today may become valuable in the future.
⚠️ Restrictions on freedom of expression may solve problems temporarily, but in the long run they are dangerous for liberty (स्वतंत्रता के लिए खतरनाक).
✨ Final Note
- Freedom is not absolute absence of restrictions, but the presence of rational conditions (तर्कसंगत परिस्थितियां) that help individuals grow.
- A society that promotes freedom with responsibility ensures progress, justice, and democracy.
📌 Exam Tip: Always remember – Freedom = Opportunity for development + Rational restrictions 🕊️
🕊️ Dimensions of Freedom (स्वतंत्रता के आयाम)
❇️ Two Dimensions of Freedom
🔶 Negative Freedom (नकारात्मक स्वतंत्रता)
- Freedom means absence of restrictions (प्रतिबंधों का अभाव).
- Individuals should have liberty to act as they wish, without external interference.
- Restrictions reduce personal freedom.
- Supported by John Stuart Mill and F. A. Hayek.
🔶 Positive Freedom (सकारात्मक स्वतंत्रता)
- Freedom within rules and laws (नियम व कानून) → enables human development.
- Restrictions are necessary if the state wants to achieve public welfare (सार्वजनिक कल्याण).
- Since humans live in society, their actions affect others → hence life must be regulated by rational restrictions (तर्कयुक्त बंधन).
- Supported by T. H. Green and Isaiah Berlin.
❇️ Sources of Restrictions
- Through force and law (बलपूर्वक व कानून).
- Domination and external control (प्रभुत्व व बाहरी नियंत्रण).
- Welfare state policies (कल्याणकारी राज्य).
- Economic inequalities (आर्थिक असमानता).
- Social inequalities (सामाजिक असमानता).
❇️ Need for Restrictions
- For fair distribution of limited resources (सीमित संसाधनों का उचित बंटवारा).
- To prevent conflicts (टकराव रोकने हेतु).
- To achieve public welfare (सार्वजनिक कल्याण).
- To protect the rights of others (दूसरों के अधिकारों की पूर्ति हेतु).
- To maintain freedom of ideas and lifestyle in society (मुक्त समाज में अपने विचार व जीवनशैली बनाए रखना).
❇️ Liberal vs Marxist Views
🔶 Liberal View (उदारवादी)
- Historically, liberals supported free market & minimal state (मुक्त बाजार व न्यूनतम राज्य).
- Modern liberals now support the welfare state (कल्याणकारी राज्य) to reduce inequalities.
- Positive liberals (Hobbes, Locke, Laski) believed:
- Law protects individual freedom (कानून स्वतंत्रता की रक्षा करता है).
- Rational restrictions ensure maximum development opportunities.
- Liberals give priority to individual freedom over equality (समानता से अधिक महत्व स्वतंत्रता को देते हैं).
- Often skeptical of political authority (राजनीतिक सत्ता).
🔶 Marxist View (मार्क्सवादी धारणा)
- Marxists emphasize economic freedom within the social structure (सामाजिक जीवन में आर्थिक स्वतंत्रता).
- Real freedom = equal interests for all people.
- In capitalist society, freedom differs by class → true freedom possible only after establishing a socialist system (समाजवादी व्यवस्था).
❇️ J. S. Mill’s Views on Freedom
✴️ Types of Actions
1️⃣ Self-regarding Actions (स्वसबद्ध कार्य)
- Affect only the person doing the action.
- No state interference required.
2️⃣ Other-regarding Actions (परसंबद्ध कार्य)
- Affect other people.
- If harmful, the state can impose restrictions.
❇️ Harm Principle (हानि का सिद्धांत)
- Restrictions are justified when an action causes harm to others.
- Purpose of restrictions = protect others from damage or loss (दूसरों को हानि से बचाना).
❇️ Safeguards of Freedom (स्वतंत्रता की रक्षा के उपाय)
- ✅ Democratic governance (लोकतांत्रिक शासन व्यवस्था)
- ✅ Fundamental Rights (मौलिक अधिकार)
- ✅ Rule of Law (कानून का शासन)
- ✅ Independent Judiciary (स्वतंत्र न्यायपालिका)
- ✅ Decentralisation of powers (शक्तियों का विकेन्द्रीकरण)
- ✅ Strong Opposition Party (सशक्त विपक्षी दल)
- ✅ Economic Equality (आर्थिक समानता)
- ✅ Absence of Privileges (विशेषाधिकार का न होना)
- ✅ Enlightened Public Opinion (जागरूक जनमत)
✨ Final Note
👉 Freedom has two sides: absence of unnecessary restrictions (Negative) and presence of rational conditions for development (Positive).
👉 Real freedom is protected only when democracy, rights, equality, and public awareness work together.
📌 Exam Tip: Always write examples of thinkers (Mill, Hayek, Green, Berlin, Marx, Gandhi) for better answers.
