The meaning of 'freedom'

Prof Annelien de Dijn (History and Art History) explains on the website of Time why ‘freedom’ means something different to liberals and conservatives. De Dijn wrote about the history of 'freedom' in her book Freedom: An Unruly History.

"We tend to think of freedom as an emancipatory ideal—and with good reason", De Dijn says. "Throughout history, the desire to be free inspired countless marginalized groups to challenge the rule of political and economic elites."

The cry for liberty

"But there is another side to the story of freedom as well. Over the past 250 years, the cry for liberty has also been used by conservatives to defend elite interests. In their view, true freedom is not about collective control over government; it consists in the private enjoyment of one’s life and goods. Being alert to this history can help us to understand why, today, people can use the same word—“freedom”—to mean two very different things", De Dijn concludes.