Positive and Negative Liberty (Isaiah Berlin - Two Concepts of Liberty)

Summary

This lecture explores the distinction between 'negative liberty' and 'positive liberty' as introduced by Isaiah Berlin in 1958. Negative liberty is the freedom from external interference, while positive liberty is the freedom to act upon one's will. The talk delves into nuances, using examples like religious freedom and historical references, such as the Emancipation Proclamation and FDR's four freedoms. It contrasts the Jeffersonian concept of liberty with Roosevelt's broader view, including the modern libertarian perspective on the matter, highlighting the complexities and ongoing discussions around the concept of freedom.

Takeaways

• 📚 The lecture discusses the two concepts of liberty as defined by Isaiah Berlin in his 1958 essay, highlighting the differences between negative and positive liberty.
• 🔒 Negative liberty is defined as the freedom from outside interference, emphasizing the absence of constraints on an individual's actions.
• 🛠 Positive liberty is the freedom to act upon one's will, focusing on the ability to achieve goals despite potential interference.
• 🌐 The distinction between the two lies in 'freedom from' something (negative liberty) versus 'freedom to' do something (positive liberty).
• 📜 Negative liberty is often associated with the language of natural rights, while positive liberty is linked to the language of entitlement.
• 🏛️ Historical examples, such as the Jews' return to Jerusalem under Cyrus the Great, illustrate the concept of positive liberty through interference.
• 🗽 The American constitutional rights, particularly the Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment, are primarily framed in terms of negative liberty.
• 🤔 The script raises the question of whether all members of society should have certain entitlements like education, healthcare, and food as part of their positive liberties.
• 📚 Booker T. Washington's 'Up from Slavery' is cited to illustrate the limitations of negative liberty without the resources to achieve positive liberty.
• 🔄 The lecture touches on the modern libertarian movement's rejection of positive liberty, arguing that it compromises individual freedom through wealth redistribution.
• 🌟 FDR's Four Freedoms speech is presented as an example of incorporating both negative and positive liberties, expanding the concept of freedom beyond non-interference.
• 🤝 The ongoing discussion between the concepts of negative and positive liberty reflects the complexity of defining and achieving true freedom in society.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the lecture?

The main topic of the lecture is the difference between positive and negative liberty, as discussed in Isaiah Berlin's essay 'Two Concepts of Liberty'.

What is negative liberty defined as?

Negative liberty is defined as the freedom from outside interference, emphasizing the absence of external constraints that would prevent an individual from acting.

What is positive liberty defined as?

Positive liberty is the freedom to act upon one's will, focusing on the ability of an individual to achieve their goals, even in the presence of potential interference.

How does the concept of negative liberty relate to the language of natural rights?

Negative liberty is defined in the language of natural rights, suggesting that individuals have an inherent right to operate within a certain sphere without interference.

Can you provide an example of negative liberty from the script?

An example of negative liberty given in the script is the freedom from interference in one's religious practice.

How does the script relate the concept of positive liberty to the story of the Jews and Cyrus the Great?

The script uses the story of the Jews and Cyrus the Great to illustrate positive liberty, where the Persian king provided the means for the Jews to rebuild their temple and practice their religion freely, despite potential interference.

What are the two maxims of liberalism as described by John Stuart Mill in the context of negative liberty?

The two maxims are: 1) The individual is not accountable to society for his actions unless they concern the interests of others, and 2) The individual is accountable and may be subjected to social or legal punishment for actions that are prejudicial to the interests of others.

How does the First Amendment of the United States Constitution reflect the concept of negative liberty?

The First Amendment reflects negative liberty by protecting people from interference in their rights of expression, religion, speech, press, assembly, and petitioning the government for grievances.

What is the distinction between the negative and positive sense of freedom for the newly freed slaves mentioned in the script?

The newly freed slaves had negative liberty in the sense that they were no longer under the control of a master. However, they lacked positive liberty because they did not have the resources or opportunities to truly exercise their freedom and achieve their goals.

What are the four freedoms mentioned by FDR, and how do they relate to the concepts of negative and positive liberty?

FDR's four freedoms are freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. The first two are examples of negative liberties, focusing on the absence of interference, while freedom from want and freedom from fear represent positive liberties, emphasizing the entitlement to certain conditions for a free life.

How do libertarians view the concept of positive liberty, and why?

Libertarians generally do not support the concept of positive liberty because they believe it requires redistribution of wealth and resources, which they argue compromises the freedom of one person for the sake of another's freedom.

What is the script's final point on the complexity of liberty and the ongoing discussion between different concepts of liberty?

The script concludes that liberty is complex, with an ongoing discussion between the Jeffersonian concept of negative liberty and the Rooseveltian concept of positive liberty, which includes both negative and positive aspects of freedom.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Positive and Negative Liberty

This paragraph introduces the lecture's focus on the contrasting concepts of positive and negative liberty, as explored by Isaiah Berlin in his 1958 essay. Negative liberty is defined as the freedom from outside interference, while positive liberty is the freedom to act upon one's will. The lecturer uses the terms 'freedom from' and 'freedom to' to distinguish between the two. The concept of natural rights is associated with negative liberty, whereas entitlements are linked to positive liberty. The paragraph sets the stage for a deeper dive into these nuanced definitions and their implications in contemporary society.

05:02

🏛️ The Practical Implications of Liberty

The second paragraph delves into the practical implications of liberty, contrasting the theoretical definitions with real-world scenarios. It discusses how negative liberty, such as the freedom from interference in religious practice, is often understood in the context of constitutional rights, referencing the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment. The paragraph also highlights the limitations of negative liberty when individuals lack the resources to achieve their goals, using Booker T. Washington's 'Up from Slavery' to illustrate the difference between being free in name and truly being free to pursue one's aspirations. It then contrasts this with FDR's 'Four Freedoms' speech, which includes both negative and positive liberties, and touches on the modern libertarian movement's stance on positive liberty, emphasizing the tension between individual freedom and societal redistribution of resources.

10:04

👋 Conclusion and Call to Action

The final paragraph serves as a concise conclusion to the lecture, summarizing the complexity of liberty and the ongoing debate between the concepts of negative and positive liberty. It invites the audience to subscribe to the channel for more content and provides social media handles for further engagement. This closing remark leaves the audience with a sense of the importance of understanding and discussing these fundamental ideas in the pursuit of a more just and free society.

Keywords

💡Positive Liberty

Positive Liberty is defined as the freedom to act upon one's will, emphasizing the 'freedom to' aspect of liberty. It is about the ability to achieve one's goals, which may require external support or resources. In the video, the concept is exemplified by the story of the Jews under Cyrus the Great, who were given the means to rebuild their temple and practice their religion freely, illustrating the empowerment aspect of positive liberty.

💡Negative Liberty

Negative Liberty is characterized by the absence of external interference, focusing on the 'freedom from' something. It is about the individual's ability to operate within a sphere without being hindered by others. The video uses the Declaration of Independence and the writings of John Stuart Mill to illustrate this concept, emphasizing the individual's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness without undue interference.

💡Freedom

Freedom, in the context of the video, is the overarching theme that encompasses both positive and negative liberty. It is the state of being able to act or think without constraint, and it is nuanced to differentiate between the absence of restraint (negative liberty) and the presence of enabling conditions (positive liberty). The video discusses how these two concepts of freedom are crucial to understanding individual rights and societal obligations.

💡Entitlement

Entitlement, as discussed in the video, refers to the rights or privileges that individuals believe they are inherently owed, often associated with positive liberty. It is the idea that people have a right to certain resources or conditions that enable them to exercise their freedoms fully, such as education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.

💡Interference

Interference in the video script is used to contrast the two types of liberty. It refers to the external factors or actions that may restrict an individual's ability to act freely. Negative liberty is about the absence of such interference, allowing individuals to operate without being controlled or restricted by others.

💡Natural Right

Natural Right, as mentioned in the script, is a concept of rights that are inherent by virtue of human nature and can be understood in the context of negative liberty. The video explains that negative liberty is defined in the language of natural rights, suggesting that individuals have certain fundamental freedoms that are not granted by society but are inherent to their existence.

💡Constitutional Rights

Constitutional Rights are the rights guaranteed by a nation's constitution, and in the video, they are primarily discussed in the context of negative liberty. The script references the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, which protects freedoms of religion, speech, and assembly, as examples of rights that prevent government interference with individual liberties.

💡Resources

Resources, in the context of the video, are the material or financial means required to achieve one's goals. The discussion of Booker T. Washington and the Emancipation Proclamation highlights the limitation of negative liberty without access to resources, illustrating the importance of positive liberty in providing the means for individuals to be truly free.

💡Libertarian Movement

The Libertarian Movement, as depicted in the video, is a political philosophy that emphasizes individual liberty, free markets, and limited government intervention. The video contrasts this movement's stance on negative liberty with the concept of positive liberty, particularly in the context of wealth redistribution and the provision of social services.

💡FDR's Four Freedoms

FDR's Four Freedoms, as discussed in the video, are a set of principles articulated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which include freedom of speech and worship (negative liberties) and freedom from want and fear (positive liberties). The video uses these freedoms to illustrate the evolution of the concept of liberty to include not only the absence of interference but also the presence of societal support for individuals to thrive.

Highlights

Introduction to the lecture on the difference between positive and negative liberty based on Isaiah Berlin's essay.

Definition of negative liberty as the freedom from outside interference.

Definition of positive liberty as the freedom to act upon one's will.

Explanation of the distinction between freedom from something and freedom to do something.

Negative liberty defined in the language of natural right; positive liberty in the language of entitlement.

Religious freedom as an example of both negative and positive liberty.

The role of Cyrus the Great in enabling positive religious liberty for the Jews.

The Declaration of Independence and its emphasis on negative liberties.

John Stuart Mill's two maxims of liberalism reflecting the principles of negative liberty.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as an example of negative liberty.

Booker T. Washington's perspective on the limitations of negative liberty post-emancipation.

The question of whether society should provide resources like education and healthcare as rights.

FDR's four freedoms speech introducing the concept of positive liberties.

The modern libertarian movement's rejection of positive liberty and its implications.

The philosophical debate between negative and positive liberty in terms of individual freedom and societal responsibility.

The complexity of liberty and the ongoing discussion between Jeffersonian and Rooseveltian concepts of liberty.

Transcripts

hey there students in this lecture I'm

going to go over the difference between

positive and negative Liberty now this

comes from the essay written by Isaiah

Berlin in 1958 entitled two concepts of

Liberty quick shout-out to Tom Turner

one of my own students who loves freedom

very much so let's go ahead and look at

these two concepts of Liberty negative

Liberty and positive Liberty negative

Liberty can be defined as the freedom

from outside interference the operative

word being from whereas positive Liberty

is the freedom to act upon one's will

the operative word being to so the

distinction here is freedom from

something and freedom to be able to do

something in the language of negative

Liberty I might say I am no one's slave

whereas in the language of positive

Liberty I would say I am my own master

negative Liberty is defined in the

language of natural right whereas

positive Liberty can be defined in the

language of entitlement now both of

these definitions are about freedom but

it's nuanced and I'm going to go into

those nuances and why it matters to a

lot of people today so negative Liberty

really involves a zone of

non-interference that freedom is my

ability to operate within a certain

sphere where no one else is interfering

with me whereas positive Liberty is the

ability for me to achieve my goals

regardless of who may be interfering and

who may not be interfering now there are

some freedoms that we have such as

religious freedom that we could look at

in terms of negative or positive Liberty

if we're going to look at religious

freedom in terms of negative Liberty we

would look at freedom from interference

in my religious practice whereas

positive Liberty would define this as

the freedom to practice the religion of

my choosing

now religion in terms of positive

Liberty you could look at the Bible when

the Jews are given money by the Persian

king

iris the great to go back and rebuild

their temple they wanted to go back to

Jerusalem they wanted to worship at

their temple and Cyrus the Great made

this freedom possible made it possible

for them to do what they wanted to do

through interference

now this challenges the definition of

negative Liberty now we typically

understand the rights that we have in

America at least constitutional rights

in terms of negative Liberty when we

think about the Declaration of

Independence the Jefferson wrote about

life liberty and the pursuit of

happiness that you have the right to be

alive you have the right to be free and

you have the right to pursue happiness

without interference from someone else

you don't necessarily have the right to

be happy but you may pursue happiness as

you see fit without someone else

needlessly getting in the way and John

Stuart Mill wrote in the language of

negative Liberty when he wrote about the

two Maxim's of liberalism these Maxim's

are first that the individual is not

accountable to society for his actions

insofar as these concern the interest of

no person but himself

secondly that for such actions as are

prejudicial to the interest of others

the individual is accountable and may be

subjected either to social or legal

punishment so when we ask John Stuart

Mill and we evaluate these Maxim's

Liberty is really about being able to do

what you want as long as you are not

hurting anyone else when we look at the

First Amendment of the United States

Constitution Congress shall make no law

respecting an establishment of religion

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

or abridging the freedom of speech or of

the press or the right of the people

peaceably to assemble and to petition

the government for a redress of

grievances so you see here that the

First Amendment is written in the

language of negative Liberty protecting

people from interference from this new

federal government in the rights of

expression so Congress will not make any

law respecting an establishment of

religion so they won't create a state

Church and they won't prohibit someone

from practicing their religion

freely so the first amendment is written

in the language of negative Liberty and

non-interference now the question is

negative Liberty is great until you find

yourself unable to attain your goals due

to lack of resources take Booker T

Washington for example in his book up

from slavery great book this is a guy

that was a college president who was

born as a slave and in the first chapter

of up from slavery Booker T Washington

writes about his memory as a boy of the

Union Army coming to his plantation

where he grew up and reading the

Emancipation Proclamation and the

Emancipation Proclamation was read and

everybody's first reaction was yes

you know we're free and that's awesome

but then there was kind of a follow-up

reaction what now I'm free but I don't

have any property I don't have any money

I don't have any marketable skills so

these slaves that were freed at that

time were they truly free yes in the

negative sense they were free because

they didn't have a master but they

weren't free in the positive sense

because really when it comes down to it

what could they do and this is where we

ask ourselves should all members of

society have things like education

health care employment food do people

have a right to eat a right to be fed a

right to be taken care of when they're

sick now in a state of nature they

certainly don't have that right but in

our civilized society do we recognize

these rights and I'd like to kind of

employ Newton's first law of motion when

viewed in an inertial reference frame an

object either remains at rest or

continues to move at constant velocity

unless acted upon by force so if you're

the person who has property you're the

person who has money and education and

food and all of this kind of stuff then

you're free you can do whatever you want

in an atmosphere of non-interference

that you are the object in motion that

will stay in motion but the

and what about the person who is not in

that position what about the person who

does not have money does not have

education does not have access to health

care and all of those kinds of things is

that person free in the positive sense

that person is not free in the sense

that they are not able to achieve their

goals

so while Jefferson symbolizes negative

Liberty let's look at FDR's four

freedoms in 1941 FDR gave his for

freedom speech where he said that every

human being should have these four

rights freedom of speech freedom of

worship freedom from want and freedom

from fear when you look at the first two

of these these are negative liberties

that FDR is speaking in terms of

negative Liberty here at first of these

traditional American rights the right to

be able to speak freely and worship

freely without someone interfering with

you and then he goes on to speak about

freedom from want and freedom from fear

these are positive liberties that he's

talking about that these are things like

I have a right not to be needy I have a

right not to be afraid these are not

natural rights these are what we would

call entitlements of living in a

civilized free society now the modern

libertarian movement led by people like

Ron Paul they do not believe in the

concept of positive Liberty because

their assessment of this is that two

people cannot both be free if one of

them has to take from the other in order

to be free if we look at John Stuart

Mill that the person owes nothing to

society as long as they're doing nothing

to harm society but in order to actually

implement positive Liberty you're going

to have to redistribute wealth and

resources so if somebody doesn't have

health care education or something like

that then the government will have to

provide that so that person can achieve

their goals if that person has been

discriminated against something like

affirmative action so libertarians will

say that this really isn't right because

one person's freedom is being

compromised for another person's freedom

now at the same time without any

redistribution the portion of the

population without wealth education

employment that portion is not free so

if we were to look at things in terms

exclusively of negative Liberty then

there is a portion of population that is

on

three because they lack these resources

it's almost like Rousseau said man is

born free but everywhere is in Chains

that everybody can't seem to be free at

one time liberty is very complicated and

that's why we continue to have this

discussion between the Jeffersonian

concept of negative Liberty and this

more 20th century Roosevelt sort of

concept of positive Liberty which also

incorporates negative liberties as well

so hopefully you learned a little

something about Liberty if you like what

you heard subscribe to my channel Tom

Ritchie dotnet social media Twitter

Instagram all of that kind of stuff

plenty more where this came from until

next time

you