Freedom vs. Liberty

What is the difference between freedom and liberty? Does it make a difference, after all, many people use the terms interchangeably? I think it does, and if you take the time to study the etymologies of the words you'll find an interesting history and usage of the words. Regardless, I am going to propose meanings for these words for the sake of clarity in this and the essays that follow.

Freedom, I propose, is a state of being (or becoming), that is to say, it is an ontological reality possessed (or being possessed) by persons. This is not to suggest that we are born into freedom so in this regard I would disagree with the first part of Rousseau's famous dictum (although maybe not the second), "Men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains." We are not born in Freedom nor are we raised in it. Freedom is not granted by the state, achieved by wealth, accomplishment, or social status. The acquisition of Freedom is a hard fought, personal battle with the self, and it is a gift which bears its fruit only when relinquished. We'll explore this more in the future essays.

Liberty, I propose, is the environment in which a person may act in freedom without restraint or coercion of law and the consequence of its enforcement. A cursory study of history shows us that societies have varied greatly in the liberties their citizens enjoyed. More often then not, these liberties were seen as being "granted" by the state, and its potentates who claimed their authority by heredity, divine right, or naked power. The United States of America was the first nation to make the claim that liberty does not come from men, but from the Creator:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

Since Liberty is an endowment to men by the Creator who transcends all earthly realms and kingdoms no state or potentate has the authority to deny or take away that which is unalienable to human nature. Indeed, the authority of the state exist primarily to secure these rights not to grant them:

"That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted by Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...."

It is a paradox that the institutions created to secure the right of Liberty, do so by passing, executing, and adjudicating Laws and every law, by its very nature, attenuates Liberty. Therefore, there is an indirect relationship between Law and Liberty, that is, the more laws the less liberty. This diminution of Liberty is justified as necessary for the Common Good. Libertarians seek to minimize the scope and number of laws to maximize personal liberty while preserving the Good that is Common between all of its citizens.

Let’s be clear.  The fact that a person enjoys Liberty does not mean that he is Free and a person may be Free in the absence of Liberty.  Liberty is an unquestioned benefit to the development of Freedom in one’s personal life as we will examine in later essays, but Liberty is neither necessary nor sufficient for Freedom.   Understanding and then valuing the pursuit of Freedom by the citizenry of a state that enjoys Liberty, however, is necessary (although not sufficient) for long-term sustainability of Liberty. Freedom must transfigure the individual with his demands on the others of society to a person who shoulders his own pack (Gal 6:5) while carrying the burdens of others (Gal 6:2).  Saint Paul admonished us:

"For you were called to Freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh [the self], but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled on one word, in the statement, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another."

I am writing these essays because I am afraid we are doing just that, biting and devouring one another.  I believe that this may be occurring because we no longer understand Freedom, we confuse Freedom with Liberty or Equality, or we’re too busy or too lazy to pursue personal Freedom—may be all of the above.  And if this continues we’ll see an erosion of our Liberty as well.  

Next: Freedom vs. Determinism- Introduction