An Analysis of the Equal Freedom

Abstract

The article concerns selected problems related to the postulates of equalizing the level of positive liberty. The classic understanding of individual freedom, called as negative (freedom from), identified with a lack of compulsion, can be in opposition to the so-called positive liberty (freedom to). The last notion is generally defined by an ability, which brings its relation with a concept of power. The postulate of equality in “freedom to” can be justification for conducting a social redistribution of goods. The cases of voluntary and compulsory donation are considered in the text, whose aim is to visualize consequences resulting from a compulsory expansion of the scope of positive liberty.

Keywords

• political philosophy
• ethics
• freedom
• positive liberty
• negative liberty