What does the term "liberty" mean?
Q: What does the term "liberty" mean?
A: Liberty is a condition in which an individual has the ability to act according to their own will and achieve their potential, within the context of other concepts such as political freedom.
Q: How do communism and socialism view liberty?
A: Communism and socialism claim to have something defined as liberty for them because of their social equality ideals.
Q: How do libertarians and classical liberals view communism?
A: Libertarians and classical liberals think communism is against Liberty because it often goes against individual basic rights (life, freedom and property).
Q: What are the two main perspectives on liberty?
A: The two main perspectives on liberty are classical liberalism conceptions of liberty, which mainly focus on freedom from outside compulsion, and social liberalist perspective, which emphasizes the need for social and economic equality.
Q: Who was John Stuart Mill?
A: John Stuart Mill was an English philosopher who wrote On Liberty, where he first recognized the difference between liberty as the freedom to act versus being forced to do something. He also sought to define the power that can be legitimately exercised by society over individuals.
Q: What did Mill argue about authority and liberty?
A: Mill argued that there is an inherent antagonism between authority and liberty, meaning that there must be a balance between individual independence and social control.