What is Liberty?

Paper Summary:

The paper offers a look at the varied definitions of liberty. The dictionary's definition of liberty is examined first. The paper then goes on to show how the flexible definitions of liberty are reflected in the ambiguous definitions provided by the authors of the American "Declaration of Independence," in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's "Discourse on the Origins of Inequality" and "The Social Contract" and in Kant's "Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals." The paper discusses the Declaration of Independence's legal definition of liberty in contrast to Kant and Rousseau's philosophical and metaphysical definitions that complicate a purely political understanding of the notion of liberty.

From the Paper:

"The "Declaration of Independence" states that the nature of governments, unlike the nature of individual freedom, is that political institutions are not extant, pre-existing structures or bodies that exist as intrinsic to the human condition. Governments are formed by and derive from the consent of the governed. As the British king has acted in a tyrannical manner (or the British government, as the British king was the head of Parliament at the time) towards the colonies, the colonies have a right to dissolve their association and withdraw their consent. After a long list of British abuses, the colonies again invoke the concept of freedom, this time not in terms of a human person, but in terms of the state."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Declaration of Independence." Independence Hall Association. 4 Jul 1995. 2 Apr 2008.http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
• Kant, Immanuel. "Groundwork for the Metaphysic of Morals." 1785.Translated by Steve Thomas. University of Adelaide E-text Collection 3 Apr 2008. http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/k/kant/immanuel/k16prm/
• "Liberty." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2 Apr 2008. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liberty
• Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "On the Origin of Inequality." Parts I & II. 2 Apr 2008.http://www.constitution.org/jjr/ineq_03.htm
• Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "The Social Contract." 1763. Translated by G. D. H. Cole.2 Apr 2008. http://www.constitution.org/jjr/socon.htm

More papers on What is Liberty?:

• Comparison Essay # 4465 : "What is Political Power?"
• Essay # 8493 : "What is America?"
• Analytical Essay # 6179 : "On Liberty"

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