Introduction
The freedom of the individual in its various manifestations is today the most important value of civilized humanity. A person is a member of society and is obliged to reckon with its laws, primarily because the complete freedom of one person would mean arbitrariness concerning another. Freedom and responsibility are two sides of one whole, conscious human activity. Freedom breeds responsibility, and responsibility directs freedom. Therefore, the more freedom, the more responsibility. This topic interests many people in various fields and has been discussed for centuries.
Criticism of the Government and Its Policies
On the one hand, H. Thoreau was an uncompromising supporter of democracy and freedom. He considered it fair only that such power, which respects the rights and interests of the individual, expresses one’s will. Thoreau vehemently opposed slavery and the interventionist policies of the US government, and not only verbally: the author opposed it by refusing to pay taxes to the state with such policies (McElroy, 2005). On the other hand, Thoreau was an adherent of the principle of moral absolutism; that is, he proceeded from the unconditional priority of morality over politics (McElroy, 2005). Since the US government, according to Thoreau, does not meet the criteria of absolute goodness, it does not deserve admiration, despite the democratic constitution, laws, and courts.
As political practice shows, in some cases (external aggression, mass terror of an autocratic regime against its people, acts of terrorists in a democratic state), political subjects oriented towards democratic values are forced to resort to means that are unacceptable from the point of view of moral absolutism (for example, violence) (McElroy, 2005). Based on political reality, only in this way can one resist evil, protect the life and safety of people, and defend their freedom. Therefore, supporters of moral absolutism lack realism in analyzing the political process and choosing means to achieve political goals. Unfortunately, non-violent means do not always make it possible to solve practical issues of combating the evil that is being done in the world. The lack of political realism breeds impotence of principle.
Fight for Human Rights
Eleanor Roosevelt advocated that every person should have the opportunity to be themselves. She wanted everyone to do what they wanted, not paying attention to the criticism that would be in any case (Roosevelt, 2020). Unlike Thoreau, who criticized the government for subjugating the individual, Roosevelt sought to change government to protect the individual and their freedoms. As Chairperson of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Eleanor Roosevelt was the motivation behind the creation 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which will forever remain her legacy. Roosevelt advocated that every person be significant to the state, while there was no slave component concerning people. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights contains a provision that, in exercising one’s freedoms and rights, everyone should be subject only to such restrictions as are intended to guarantee acknowledgment and respect for the rights of others (Roosevelt, 2020). That is, each person is recognized as free if he does not violate the freedom of another person and does not pose a threat to society.
Conclusion
By their legal nature and system of agreements, rights and freedoms are identical. They outline the social possibilities of a person provided by the state in various spheres, but the term ‘freedom’ is intended to emphasize the broader possibilities of individual choice without outlining its specific result. Every human being has the right to freedom of opinion and religion, and the government is assured the right to freedom of thought and speech. At the same time, the term ‘right’ defines the specific actions of a person (for example, the right to participate in the management of state affairs and the right to elect and be elected). However, it is difficult to distinguish between rights and freedoms, and it often seems that freedom is a limited concept since it has a limited scope. However, freedom is impossible without social/civil responsibility since one individual’s excessive freedom can threaten another’s freedom.
References
McElroy, W. (2005). Henry David Thoreau and ‘Civil Disobedience’. Henry David Thoreau on civil disobedience – ignited minds journals. Web.
Roosevelt, E. (2020). Struggle for human rights by Anna Eleanor Roosevelt specially targeted at the Soviet Bloc. YouTube. Web.