The definition of human freedom varies in every culture
and political ideology.
There is no specific or unique idea that would encompass
all the possible variations that this concept may suffer and
furthermore, we do not have the right to say which of these
definitions is more correct.
As Gearts expresses, communities need ideologies to
support each other and be able to develop. By imagining a line
where we could draw conclusions on these theories based on the
spectrum of the comparisons, it is possible to see the variations
of these theories and the extent to which they allow for true
human freedom.
From Communism, Socialism, Conservatism, Fascism, and
Nazism, the following paper will compare and contrast the
possibilities that each of these systems gives to the achievement
of self actualization by the societies which they
represent.
First of all, the political and economic theory of
socialism advocates that land, natural resources and industries
should be owned by the community as a whole and not by
individual, private groups.
The best way to carry on with this ideology is through
the application of a communist social system where all property
including the aforementioned benefits, would be owned equally by
all members of society and they will all work for the common
benefit.
In these systems individualism is not seen as a value,
instead, it is an opposing force to communism in pro of
capitalism. In people’s democracies as well as in social
democracies, economic equality and equal distribution can most
successfully be achieved by the implementation of a communist
State.
For as long as the State remains powerful and the goals
of the community are being equally satisfied through the global
objective of self actualization, then the system can be
considered as successful at guaranteeing human
freedom.
As an opposing force to capitalism and instead of
promoting the individual freedoms of a person, communism and
socialism promote the important of working together as a
community in the achievement of the mutual goals.
After all, if the goals are mutual, why not work
together in achieving them and saving energy in the
effort?
Even though these systems seem to put limits on the
capabilities approach of each person simply because being
considered as an element of the community and not as an
individual, it can be seen how the theory of working together for
common, basic goals seems to be fair and justified.
The contrasting characteristic of these theories can be
best explained by the idea of J.S. Mill who explains that the
rule of ignorant masses can give too much power to unprepared
individuals who would use tyranny and dictatorships as the only
manner to keep control.
Furthermore, putting limits on a person’s
self-development opportunities goes against the universal
declaration of human rights, this is why there are other systems
that offer opposing views and put more emphasis on the superior
individual work of a single race.
This is the case of the importance of human freedoms in
Nazism and Fascism.
Nazism refers to a socialist based party who takes this
economic and political theory to the extent of controlling not
only where the community should focus its efforts in the sake of
society’s goals, but also believes in the superiority of a
single race that is naturally entitled to the enjoyment of these
benefits.
As well as fascism, extreme right movements are more
prone to conserving the background characteristics that
culturally define each of our societies.
According to John Locke,
humans will always make decisions that will give them the most
advantageous position over others and this is a reason for Nazism
and Fascism to encourage the creation of a single master race
where the mindsets and morals of all are equally
shared.
Each society has its own norms, beliefs and values with
its own common and individual goals. This explains why, under
these two ideologies there is no space for other cultures that
would try to put themselves in more advantageous positions as the
one that inherently deserves the occupied territory.
Jewish people for example, were seen as a culture
illegally occupying European areas in order to make a profit and
take advantage of the locals.
This therefore leads, through the power of the masses
and the coming to power of ignorant leaders such as Benito
Mussolini and Adolph Hitler (J.S.
Mill), to an unsustainable and senseless political system which
little by little takes away more individual freedoms from the
community in order to keep tyrannical power.
There can not be individual freedoms in a society that
believes in elitism, anti-liberal individualism, survival of a
master race and other forms of social Darwinism.
In these communities, only those who are part of the so
called "master race" are capable of enjoying freedom at the
expense of the suffering of others.
Even though we can not blame Nazism and Fascism for the
results of the genocidal politics of its known leaders during
World War II, we can generalize that if the success and enjoyment
of some is based on the suffering and destruction of others, this
form of government is not placing much importance on the
individual freedoms of most people.
Another political system that can be compared and
contrasted with the theories of communism and socialism is
expressed in those systems that support conservatism such as the
United States.
As mentioned above, communism believes that, as an
alternative to capitalism, the working together of the community
will lead to the achievement of common goals in the most
efficient manner. In conservatism, the ideal of capitalism is
essential for the success of these societies, thus the
differences between these two theories will consist on the
importance that they place on the role of the individual vs. the
community.
The public and private spheres of communism and
socialism are characterized by high government control and the
little opportunity to make individual decisions.
On the other hand, public and private spheres of
societies with a more conservative tradition keep government well
separated from the decision making process of the individual,
specially at the private sphere level.
Capitalist theories of conservatism express that
individual freedom leads to competition among members of society
and this is the best way to keep people in constant struggle for
self actualization.
The truth of this statement is undeniable and can be
proved by looking at the per capita gross domestic product of the
United States.
When people are forced to be individualistic in order to
achieve individual goals, be more successful and more valuable as
a member of society, they are not living a very important part of
life.
On the other hand, the socialist theories that do not
allow people to become self actualized at their own pace but
instead, become one more piece of the keyboard equally valuable
as anyone else, is not allowing for freedom either.
Socialization as different from socialism is the ability
to share, understand and mutually engage as a member of a
community. As Michael Walzer expressed, communal society
encourages equality and justice.
Having a multicultural perspective allows for continuous
development of societies. I believe that the importance of human
freedom relies on the capabilities of a person to understand
other cultures, ideologies and political systems with the highest
amount of cultural sensitivity. Encouraging a society where the
mutual basic goals can be guaranteed through the communal effort
gives equal opportunities to all members of society to do all
that is necessary to continuously achieve self
actualization.
The democratic ideal will come naturally as a result of
the ability of each person to govern oneself as an authentic and
unique human being.
The most important anecdote that we can learn from this
examination is that none of the political and economic systems
mentioned in this essay can be forced upon the will of any
society. As seen in Carl Marx’s
Communist Manifesto, we can not say that capitalism is bad and
socialism is good. In order to reach socialism Marx declared that
a capitalist society has to create the proper environment for a
revolution to take place.
The unique characteristics of all human beings make
civilizations different from each other, therefore the natural
course of action that a political system suffers is in constant
adaptation to the changing values of a society.
For as long as we have the power to feel free to express
our thoughts in regards to the political setting of our society
and furthermore promote options for change without feeling
oppressed by the system in control, then we could say we have
achieved human political freedom.
Bibliography
▪ Ball, Terence; Dagger, Richard. Political
Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal 5th edition.
New York: Pearson Education, 2004.
▪ Ball, Terence; Dagger, Richard. (Burke) Political
Ideologies and the Democratic Ideal 5th edition.
New York: Pearson Education, 2004.
▪ Ball, Terence; Dagger Richard. Ideals and Ideologies
Reader 5th edition. New York: Pearson Education,
2004.
Fabio Fermi
November 25th 2004