Whatis the difference between the negative and positive conception ofliberty?
Negative liberty | Positive liberty | ||
1. | It defines and defends the area of an individual’s life where no external authority can interfere. | i. | It defines the area of society where an individual can be free with some constraints made by the society and the government. |
2. | It is not concerned with the conditions of the society. | ii. | It is concerned with the enabling conditions of the society. |
3. | It is concerned with explaining the idea of ‘freedom from’. | iii. | It is concerned with explaining the idea of ‘freedom to’. |
4. | This area comes into personal domain of the individual. | iv. | This area comes into social domain of the individual. |
5. | More negative liberty leads to more freedom. | v. | More positive liberty checks excess of freedom to an individual, which could be an obstruction for social stability. |