Mutual liberty
Encyclopedia
Mutual liberty is an idea first coined by Alexis de Tocqueville
in his 1835 work Democracy in America
. In effect, Tocqueville was referring to the general nature of American
society
during the 19th century. It appeared to him, at least on the surface, that every citizen in the United States
had the opportunity
to participate in the civic activities of the country
. Another way to look at mutual liberty is by accounting for the collective free will
s of every rational being in a community
. Even though the notion of mutual liberty was introduced by Tocqueville, it was John Stuart Mill
who greatly expanded it. Mill believed that the most proper occasion for mutual liberty was in a community governed by the consent of the governed
, i.e., a republic
. And according to Mill, it is only in a republic where members of all political factions
can participate. It has been said that a republic is the form of government that divides people least. This statement pertains greatly to mutual liberty. Unlike positive
and negative liberty
, mutual liberty encompasses all citizens. It makes no distinction between political preference and social status. Mutual liberty pervades all sectors of society, from the homeless man on the street to the premier of the state
. It is the process through which a general sense of morality
gets exerted on the widest range of people in any given communal setting.
. In effect, social justice is where every person in a given community has equal access to the opportunities afforded to those who are the most privileged. And in a certain sense, this notion of privilege ought to be assigned in a manner such that those who are the least advantaged receive the most benefit from the economic inequalities in a society. This version of social justice has been discussed at length by academics such as John Rawls
and clerics such as Óscar Romer. Where mutual liberty fits into the schemes of social justice is precisely in the creation of the social structure that would effectively permit the opportunities of the privileged to become available to all. Without a general aura of liberty, which is exactly what mutual liberty offers, then the possibilities of fostering social justice in a community are essentially shut out.
Alexis de Tocqueville
Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian best known for his Democracy in America and The Old Regime and the Revolution . In both of these works, he explored the effects of the rising equality of social conditions on the individual and the state in...
in his 1835 work Democracy in America
Democracy in America
De la démocratie en Amérique is a classic French text by Alexis de Tocqueville. A "literal" translation of its title is Of Democracy in America, but the usual translation of the title is simply Democracy in America...
. In effect, Tocqueville was referring to the general nature of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
during the 19th century. It appeared to him, at least on the surface, that every citizen in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
had the opportunity
Opportunity
Opportunity may refer to:*Opportunity International - An International microfinance network that lends to the working poor*Opportunity NYC is the experimental Conditional Cash Transfer program being launched in New York City...
to participate in the civic activities of the country
Country
A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...
. Another way to look at mutual liberty is by accounting for the collective free will
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
s of every rational being in a community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
. Even though the notion of mutual liberty was introduced by Tocqueville, it was John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, economist and civil servant. An influential contributor to social theory, political theory, and political economy, his conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control. He was a proponent of...
who greatly expanded it. Mill believed that the most proper occasion for mutual liberty was in a community governed by the consent of the governed
Consent of the governed
"Consent of the governed" is a phrase synonymous with a political theory wherein a government's legitimacy and moral right to use state power is only justified and legal when derived from the people or society over which that political power is exercised...
, i.e., a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
. And according to Mill, it is only in a republic where members of all political factions
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
can participate. It has been said that a republic is the form of government that divides people least. This statement pertains greatly to mutual liberty. Unlike positive
Positive liberty
Positive liberty is defined as having the power and resources to fulfill one's own potential ; as opposed to negative liberty, which is freedom from external restraint...
and negative liberty
Negative liberty
Negative liberty is defined as freedom from interference by other people, and is set in contrast to positive liberty, which is defined as an individual's freedom from inhibitions of the social structure within the society such as classism, sexism or racism and is primarily concerned with the...
, mutual liberty encompasses all citizens. It makes no distinction between political preference and social status. Mutual liberty pervades all sectors of society, from the homeless man on the street to the premier of the state
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
. It is the process through which a general sense of morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
gets exerted on the widest range of people in any given communal setting.
A Companion of Social Justice
Mutual liberty on the whole can be viewed as being inextricably linked to the concept of social justiceSocial justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
. In effect, social justice is where every person in a given community has equal access to the opportunities afforded to those who are the most privileged. And in a certain sense, this notion of privilege ought to be assigned in a manner such that those who are the least advantaged receive the most benefit from the economic inequalities in a society. This version of social justice has been discussed at length by academics such as John Rawls
John Rawls
John Bordley Rawls was an American philosopher and a leading figure in moral and political philosophy. He held the James Bryant Conant University Professorship at Harvard University....
and clerics such as Óscar Romer. Where mutual liberty fits into the schemes of social justice is precisely in the creation of the social structure that would effectively permit the opportunities of the privileged to become available to all. Without a general aura of liberty, which is exactly what mutual liberty offers, then the possibilities of fostering social justice in a community are essentially shut out.
External links
- On Mutual Liberty, blog entry concerning mutual liberty.
- Mill and Liberty, blog entry concerning Mill and Liberty.
- soft tyranny in the modern day United States, blog entry explaining how it relates to mutual liberty.
- John Stuart Mill in the Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyStanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyThe Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a freely-accessible online encyclopedia of philosophy maintained by Stanford University. Each entry is written and maintained by an expert in the field, including professors from over 65 academic institutions worldwide...
- In Search of Tocqueville's Democracy in America, information and resources about Alexis de Tocqueville.