Liberty & Equality
Same or different?
Coyote
Let me start this off with the most basic breakdown I can think of.
Liberty is basically the exercise of human rights in any manner a person wants, as long as it doesn't infringe on someone else.
Equality is basically the status of being equal.
So, in essence, how could liberty even exist without equality? Its not true liberty if one man can do something another cant, correct? Of course! There is absolutely NO value in liberty if equality is absent. Doesn't even exist.
I think the two words are raped to the point of non existence anyways. Like racist. Equality isn't one race of people getting special rights other groups don't. Quit the opposite. You could attach some emotional spin to it, but it wont change the reality.. If one group gets special rights(inequality), liberty doesn't exist. Why? Because one man is able to do what he wants, while another man is constrained by the State.
Yes they are different.
Liberte Egalite Fraternite
Can you have one without the other?
Yes.
1. example of equality without liberty:
If all students in a class are subject to the same
oppressive rules, they are all treated EQUALLY
but they have no liberty to change or challenge the rules.
2. example of liberty without equality:
two people are free to eat as much as they can at a free dinner where they are both welcomed as guests. But one eats three times as much
as the other person. They are both happy and both report being free and did not have any conditions that restricted them from participating and enjoying themselves to the fullest.
But one got three times the value and food by eating more than the other person, so they are not equal in that sense.
As for your point about "what's the point of freedom if you are restricted by the state anyway?"
Well that's true of life in general.
I am not free to turn myself into a butterfly and fly around all I want to.
That's breaking the laws of nature and physics.
There is difference is between
political freedom and
spiritual freedom.
And yes you can have one without the other.
But the ideal is to have both, so there is no doubt you have
the maximum freedom possible.
And
TNHarley
the way to avoid abuse or oppression by govt authority:
when people AGREE to laws by consensus, so policies
respect Consent of the Governed
1. it still means we are under restrictions that apply to all people
2. but since we AGREE to those rules, we DON'T consider this
"outside oppression from an interfering authority"
WE make those decisions as a group, as people acting as govt
and AGREEING to give authority to laws and law enforcement
ON THOSE TERMS.
If a man and woman agree to get married and RESTRICT themselves by renouncing all other partners but each other,
is that losing freedom?
it can be seen as guaranteeing peace of mind and freedom
from conflict NOT to have other relations interfering and competing.
So because the couple CHOOSES to restrict themselves
that's still considered exercising their liberty and not IMPOSING
on their free will.
Likewise, laws are supposed to be a civil contract between people
and govt, where we AGREE what represents our interests and
tax investment.
We can respect each other equally and maximize our freedom.
Even if we have to AGREE to certain restrictions to ensure
security. The difference is if we CONSENT to laws that
REPRESENT our free choice, beliefs and interests
as opposed to being IMPOSED against our will or beliefs.