Freedom, two

From a legal point of view, people are free if society imposes no unjust, unnecessary, or unreasonable limits on them. Society must also protect their rights–that is, their basic liberties, powers, and privileges. A free society tries to distribute the conditions of freedom equally among the people.

Today, many societies put a high value on legal freedom. But people have not always considered it so desirable. Through the centuries, for example, many men and women — and even whole societies — have set goals of self-fulfillment or self-perfection.

Life, Society

12. In real democracies everyone is free. In completely democratic nations, everyone is free. Yes or no?

13. Freedom is the most important thing in life. Yes or no? Which is most important, freedom, happiness, health, love, money? Or does it depend on the individual? Or it’s impossible to say because they are all important in their own right.

14. What is your vision of a free society? Describe a free country and society.

15. Who has more freedom, women or men, or do they have the same amount of freedom?

16. Minorities usually have less (real) freedom than the majority group. Yes or no?

17. Children have more freedom than adults. Yes or no? Do young people have more or less freedom than middle-aged and older people?

18. Can there be “too much” freedom in a society or nation?

Freedom and Economics

19. Who has the most freedom, rich, upper-middle class, middle-class, working class or poor people, or do they all have equal amounts of freedom?

20. Which is better to be free, but live in poverty and insecurity; or to have a good standard of living, but not have freedom?

21. By the 1930’s, many people no longer believed that the simple absence of restrictions could make them free. Instead, the idea of freedom expanded to include employment, health, and adequate food and housing. What do you think about this?

22. In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States called for four freedoms: the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want (freedom of poverty), and freedom from fear.

In other words, freedom has little sustenance with when there’s (widespread and abject) poverty.