Liberty

                                        Liberty

Meaning of Liberty- Liberty has been derived from the Latin word 'Liber' which means free from all shackles. Liber denotes the absence of all restraints. It means one can do whatever one likes,regardless of all conditions. Liberty is possible only in an ordered State,a state where the legal and political aspects of sovereignty coincide or nearly coincide.

Definition of Liberty-

1-According to Seeley,"Liberty is the opposite of over-government".

2-Mr. Burns defined "liberty to grow to one's natural height ,to develop one's abilities".

3-Gettel says,"Liberty is the positive power of doing and enjoying those things which are worthy of enjoyment and work ".

4-According to Mahatma Gandhi,"Liberty does not mean the absence of restraints but it lies in development of liberty ".

5-Laski maintains,"Without rights there cannot be liberty,because,without rights,men are the subject of law unrelated to the needs of personality".

On the basis of definition given above we can say that liberty is a very precious condition in a state without which human beings cannot develop their personality.

Different kinds of Liberty

1-Natural Liberty
2-Civil Liberty
3-Personal Liberty
4-Political Liberty
5-Economic Liberty
6-National Liberty

1-Natural Liberty-Natural Liberty which indicates unrestrained freedom to do whatever one likes.Professor R.N.Gilchrist calls it unscientific use of liberty. He defines ,"Everyone has a vague notion of liberty of some kind and a desire for it,but among ten people using the word,perhaps no two will be able to say exactly what they mean,or if they do so say it ,will agree with each other in their definition. This general unscientific use of the word we may call Natural Liberty ".Natural Liberty means absence of all restraints an unrestrained freedom to do whatever one likes. Just a line is free to do whatever is likes in the jungle,so a man should have unrestrained freedom to do whatever he likes in society.

2-Civil Liberty-Civil Liberty means Rule of Law,according to Barker,"consists in three differently expressed articles,physical freedom from injury or threats to the life,health and movement of the body,intellectual freedom for the expression of thought and belief, and practical freedom for the play of will and the exercise of choice in the general field of contractual action and relations with other persons ". Civil Liberty indicates that absence of those restraints which are not reasonable and legitimate. The protection of civil liberty is guaranteed by the laws of state.

3-Political Liberty-Political Liberty means Liberty of citizens to participate in the political life and affairs of the State. By Political liberty Laski, means the freedom of the individual to participate in the affairs of the State. He says,"I can let my mind play freely about the substance of public business. I must be able without let or hindrance to add my special experience to the general barriers in the way of access to position of authority. I must be able to announce my opinion and to concert with others in the announcement of opinions."Political liberty include some rights such as,right to vote,right to contest elections,the right hold public office, the right to express political views criticise the government,and right to petition etc.

4-Personal Liberty-Personal liberty which means the availability of those conditions in which the individual can act as the pleases without being under any type of arbitrary and illegitimate restraint.
According to F.A.Hayek,"condition of men in which coercion of some by others is reduced as much as possible in society....The State in which a man is not subject to coercion by the arbitrary will of another or other is often also distinguished an individual or personal freedom ".
Every individual should have the liberty to dress,food,standard of living,marriages,education of children etc.

5-Economic Liberty-Economic Liberty means the liberty to earn one 's daily bread.Professor Laski says that "by economic liberty, I mean security and the opportunity to find reasonable significance in the earnings of one's daily bread. I must be free from the constant fear of unemployment and insufficiency which,perhaps more than other inadequacies sap the whole strength of personality. I must be safeguarded against the wants of tomorrow ".

6-National Liberty-National Liberty means the liberty of the nation or the country. Like individual,nations also think in terms of liberty. National liberty exists where the nation or the community is independent and sovereign. National liberty is also known as national sovereignty. Every State and nation wishes to remain free because a slave country cannot enjoy comforts of life. In order to restore and regain its independence, India made  unimaginable sacrifices and continually struggled against the Turks,Mughals and British. In the 19th century Itly struggled against Austrian Yoke the sacrifices made by Italy and the heroic deeds done by leaders of Italy and in 19th and 20th centuries Greece and Bulgaria struggled against the yoke of Turkish empire and ultimately succeeded in regarding their freedom.
After independence when India was attacked by China in 1962,again by Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, the Government of India made all possible efforts to defend the country and the soldiers of Indian army sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of safeguarding national freedom and glory. Indian public and all the political parties of India cooperated with the government in that hours of emergency.