Freedom and liberty are two words that are often confused when it comes to their meanings and connotations. The main difference between the two words is that freedom is generally used in the sense of ‘independence,’ while liberty is used in the sense of ‘right.’ Both words have different origins, with freedom being of Saxon origin and preferred by common people, making it an everyday word, and liberty being of French origin, preferred by the ruling class, making it more of an institutional thing.
Key Takeaways
- Freedom is generally used in the sense of ‘independence,’ while liberty is used in the sense of ‘right.’
- Liberty is believed to be the root cause of freedom.
- Freedom is of Saxon origin and preferred by common people, while liberty is of French origin and preferred by the ruling class.
What does Freedom mean?
Freedom is meant for a country as a whole, or for all the people that constitute a country. It is the independence from the rule of a foreign country. The Oxford dictionary defines freedom as ‘the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants.’ In philosophy, freedom is also used figuratively in the sense of ’emancipation’ or ‘salvation,’ such as the freedom of the soul.
What does Liberty mean?
Liberty, on the other hand, is meant for an individual or sometimes for a group of people. A person or group of individuals can fight for liberty. It is believed that liberty is the root cause of freedom, or a subset of freedom. The state of freedom is brought about by the demands of people who want liberty. The Oxford English dictionary defines liberty as ‘the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s behavior or political views.’
What is the difference between Freedom and Liberty?
- Freedom is used in the sense of ‘independence,’ while liberty is used in the sense of ‘right.’
- Freedom is of Saxon origin and preferred by common people, while liberty is of French origin and preferred by the ruling class.
- Liberty is believed to be the root cause of freedom.
