II.3: Liberty plus Equality

by
Share this page

liberty plus equality

Are we too cynical to even try to imagine what greater liberty and greater equality together would be like?

Maybe our current system only seems so wonderful because it’s so much better than the empires and feudal systems that existed before. Maybe it’s only our lack of vision that makes us think we can’t have anything better than we have. Is liberty plus equality even possible? We desperately need the imagination and vision of Henry David Thoreau:

The question is not what you look at, but what you see. (Thoreau 1851, Aug. 5)

To the liberal, inequality produces rich and powerful tyrants. But to the conservative, the politicians who are supposed to bring us equality are themselves the tyrants. The liberal and the conservative are both right and both wrong. Unrestrained power in the hands of either the public or private sector will lead to tyranny because tyranny over others is the natural goal of human nature.

What is liberty or freedom?

We might think it is the opposite of law, but the English philosopher, John Locke, thought otherwise:

[H]owever it may be mistaken, the end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom: for … where there is no law, there is no freedom: for liberty is, to be free from restraint and violence from others…. (Locke 1690, VI.57)

And John Stuart Mill described freedom this way:

The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it.  (Mill 1859, I.13)

Furthermore, equality of opportunity simply requires that everyone have the same liberty to pursue their own definition of “good”. But how many would claim that true equality of opportunity exists in our current political economy?

What if we were truly both free and equal?

The French political scientist, Alexis De Tocqueville, wrote:

It is possible to imagine an extreme point at which freedom and equality meet and blend together.

…nobody will be able to wield tyrannical power; men will be completely free because they are entirely equal; they will all be completely equal because they will be entirely free. (Tocqueville 1840, 2.I.2)

Both conservatives and liberals love to quote Tocqueville because he gave solid support to both points of view. He understood that democracy means everyone must have the liberty to make choices as long as they don’t unfairly limit anyone else’s choices. That’s the conservative ideal. But Tocqueville also knew that everyone must have equal financial opportunity and social power to follow through with their choices. And that’s the liberal ideal.

Tocqueville was right. Without equality, there is no liberty because only the privileged can make real choices. And without liberty, there is no equality because only the ones who rule can carry out their choices. Equality of opportunity is necessary for liberty, and liberty for all is necessary for equality. So we can only have true liberty or true equality if we have both at the same time.

So we can’t actually satisfy conservatives or liberals unless we satisfy both at the same time. Do you agree? Do you believe it’s possible to have liberty plus equality at the same time?

This site is for discussing how to improve our political system. It is NOT for discussing party politics or political figures. So if you have a non-partisan question or comment, feel free to leave it below.

To top of page

Next Post

Sources:

Locke, John. 1690. Second Treatise of Government.

Mill, John Stuart. 1859. On Liberty. London and Felling-on-Tyne, New York and Melbourne: The Walter Scott Publishing Co., Ltd.

Thoreau, Henry David. 1851. Journal II, 1850-September 15, 1851.

Tocqueville, Alexis D. 1840. Democracy in America, Vol. 2, London: Saunders and Otley.

39 thoughts on “II.3: Liberty plus Equality”

  5. An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a coworker who was doing
    a little research on this. And he in fact bought me lunch simply because
    I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this….
    Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending some time to talk about this matter here on your web page.

    Here is my site :: vpn special coupon code 2024

    Reply

  12. I needed to write you this very small observation to help give thanks again with the extraordinary methods you have shared at this time. This is quite tremendously generous of people like you to give easily just what a lot of folks would have offered as an e-book to end up making some profit for themselves, even more so seeing that you might well have done it in the event you considered necessary. Those good ideas as well worked like the easy way to fully grasp some people have the same zeal just like my own to realize way more in terms of this condition. I believe there are lots of more pleasant opportunities in the future for people who read through your site. alpha bites gumies

    Reply

  13. I needed to post you one very small remark to give many thanks once again considering the great suggestions you have contributed at this time. It was certainly extremely generous of you to deliver easily precisely what a lot of people could possibly have offered as an ebook in making some cash on their own, principally since you might well have tried it in the event you desired. These things likewise worked to become easy way to understand that other people have the identical dreams just like mine to find out many more with regard to this condition. I think there are many more pleasant instances in the future for those who looked over your blog post. prodentim

    Reply

  14. Needed to create you the very little observation so as to thank you very much as before about the stunning suggestions you have documented in this article. It’s so tremendously open-handed of you to give freely what exactly a lot of folks would’ve made available for an e book to help make some dough for themselves, particularly now that you might well have tried it if you desired. Those concepts as well acted to become a great way to recognize that the rest have a similar eagerness like my personal own to find out much more in respect of this problem. I believe there are lots of more enjoyable opportunities ahead for individuals that look into your blog. nitric boost

    Reply

  15. I wanted to send you that very little remark to help give thanks once again just for the nice suggestions you’ve shared in this case. It has been really wonderfully generous with people like you in giving without restraint precisely what most people could have sold for an electronic book to generate some dough for their own end, mostly seeing that you might well have tried it in the event you desired. Those ideas likewise acted as a great way to understand that other individuals have a similar fervor just like mine to realize much more with reference to this matter. I think there are several more enjoyable periods up front for those who scan through your blog. provadent

    Reply

  17. Howdy! I understand this is sort of off-topic however I needed to ask.
    Does building a well-established blog such as yours require a large amount of
    work? I’m brand new to operating a blog but I do write in my journal
    on a daily basis. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share
    my experience and views online. Please let me know if
    you have any kind of suggestions or tips for brand new aspiring bloggers.
    Appreciate it!

    Here is my page: jungle beast pro reviews

    Reply

  23. I think that everything said made a bunch of sense.
    But, what about this? what if you typed a catchier title?
    I mean, I don’t wish to tell you how to run your blog, however suppose you added a
    title that makes people want more? I mean II.3:
    Liberty plus Equality – John L. Estes is a little boring.
    You should look at Yahoo’s home page and watch how they create post titles to grab people to click.

    You might add a related video or a related picture or two to
    get people interested about everything’ve got to say.
    In my opinion, it would bring your posts a little livelier.

    Also visit my web page :: is lung clear pro legitimate

    Reply

  26. Hello, i believe that i noticed you visited my site so i came
    to go back the desire?.I am attempting to in finding things to enhance
    my site!I suppose its ok to make use of some of your ideas!!

    Visit my web site :: ULTRA K9 PRO

    Reply

  27. I have been browsing on-line more than three hours these days,
    but I by no means discovered any attention-grabbing article like
    yours. It is beautiful value enough for me. In my opinion, if all website owners and bloggers made
    good content material as you probably did, the internet will be
    a lot more helpful than ever before.

    Also visit my web-site – the growth matrix method

    Reply

  32. Hi, I do think this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to
    come back yet again since I saved as a favorite it.
    Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich
    and continue to guide others.

    My page ULTRA K9 PRO

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Verified by MonsterInsights