Presentation of concept of freedom and developmental freedom by Amartya Sen,s

Presented by- Neelu Gupta

Roll no.- 6

Course- B.A.(H.)

Submitted to- Krishna Murari Sir

What do you mean by Freedom. Discuss Sen,s concept of

development as freedom and Do you agree with his concept.

What do you mean by freedom?Right and freedom are closely related to each other and the

description of right also covers the description of freedom.The term liberty has derived from the Latin word Liber,

which means free, it is not merely a philosophical or legal concept.

Sometimes it is derived with the absence of restraint- a negative meaning, sometimes it is identified with the availability of certain socio-economic conditions in which a person may develop his personality- a positive meaning.

In ancient and medieval this concept was missing but, the modern period begins with the renaissance. During this period the multidimensional demand of liberty was raised .

Then different –different types of liberties were demanded.This is divided into two parts. First is negative liberty, and

the second one is positive liberty.

Negative liberty Negative liberty was started during 17th and 18th century. Supported by liberals it

was the philosophy of civil, political and personal liberty. Here liberty, means absence of restraints. This liberty is known as “freedom

from”. Negative liberty focused on personal liberty. This liberty has no relation with equality, rights, development of personality and

justice. The thinkers which support this concept are:- Hobbes, Locke, Benjamin constant,

Burke, Paine, Adam smith, AND J.S. Mill supported this view of liberty. The laws of the state cannot take away personal liberty, but can only regulate it

for overall social welfare. They says that state should work as referee and do not interfere into the

personal matters of individuals. Leaving man free in his personal affairs will lead to personal and social

development. Negative liberty is freedom from interference by other people. Negative liberty is primarily

concerned with freedom from external restraint.

Sir Isaiah BerlinAcc. To Berlin negative is simply the area within which a man can act

unobstructed by others.The absence of coercion is the basis of liberty.He says that we can not make any line between positive and negative liberty,

there are some differences but they are closely related to each other. In individual liberty state should not interfere in economic matters but can be

ensured by state.He says let them work according to there capacity and state should work as

refree.He talked about two examples of liberty, due to which he comes in negative

sense. In short he maintains that liberty is the absence of any restrains or

interference in the personal affairs of an individual. "The free man is the man who is not in irons, nor imprisoned in a jail, nor

terrorized like a slave by the fear of punishment ... it is not lack of freedom, not to fly like an eagle or swim like a whale."

Positive libertyPositive liberty emerged during the 19th century. It maintained that

liberty is available when state create socio-economic conditions for the fulfillment of liberty.

The positive concept of liberty emphasises the moral and social aspects of man/woman and view liberty in relation to society, socio-economic condition for the realisation of liberty of law, morality, justice, and equality.

State has been assigned for socio-economic matters to reduce the inequality.

This liberty is known as “freedom to”.This haves the relation with equality, rights, development of personality.Liberties of an individual must correspond with social welfare.The thinkers who support this concept are:- Rousseau, Kant, Hegel,

Green, Bosanquet, Barker, and Laski.

Views of LaskiLaski regards rights as the essential condition of liberty.Explaning the meaning of liberty Laski says “by liberty I

mean the eager maintenance of that atmosphere in which men have the opportunity to be their best selves, so liberty is a product of right, without right there can not be liberty”.

He gives importance to the relationship of the individuals liberty with society.

He supports the positive concept of liberty, he is suspicious of government and does not surrender liberty to the state.

Laski maintains that positive liberty is concerned with availability of those opportunities in which a man/woman may develop his/her personality.

ComparisonNegative liberty Positive liberty

Negative liberty gives weight to the personal aspect of man/ woman and regards liberty as personality development.

Negative liberty, regards liberty as the absence of restrains.

Negative assumes state as an enemy of personal liberty.

It emphasises the personal and political aspects of liberty.

Negative does not associate it with rights, equality, morality, and justice.

Negative liberty supports the negative state with minimum function.

Negative was supported by liberalism.

Positive liberty looks at it in the social context and says that it is based on the socio-economic & political conditions of society.

Positive liberty, emphasises the positive condition for the realisation of the liberty.

It assigns the state for creating the positive condition for the realisation of liberty.

It emphasises the social and economic aspects of liberty.

Positive view regards liberty, equality, and justice as mutually related.

It supports the positive state with welfare function.

It has been supported by egalitarianism and socialism.

Types of freedom There are three types of freedom: 1. Political freedom: Political Freedom means the right of citizens to be actively

involved in their government, often referred to as being a democracy or a republic. The truth is not everyone wants this freedom nor is willing to fight for it. Yet, we Americans are led to believe that everyone does. We have leaders who use this myth as an excuse to put our noses into places where it doesn’t belong.

2. Individual freedom: Individual Freedom refers to just those individual rights and liberties guaranteed by law or a constitution. Some national leaders do grant their people some rights, choices and liberties but in reality these are gifts that can easily be taken away at any time.

3. Economic freedom: The freedom to prosper within a country without intervention from a government or economic authority. Individuals are free to secure and protect his/her human resources, labor and private property. Economic freedom is common in capitalist economies and must incorporate other civil liberties to be deemed as truly free.

Relation Between Freedom and LawIn reality we got the law due to freedom. Individual

freedom are ensured by the law. By making some restrictions on the individual freedom it

maintains the social freedom. It provide health, education etc. facilities through law to

make welfare state. It makes us equal and provide equal opportunities through law. In this way law protect law.

We can live a peaceful life only in that state which is based on laws from which will provide equal opportunities for development to all.

Law is the only who makes restrictions on rulers and citizens.

Laws are obeyed only when it will provide the facility of equal opportunities of development or when it will not provide the equal opportunities of development then no body will obey the laws.

Amartya sen,s Development can be seen as, a

process of expanding the real freedom that people enjoy. Focusing on human freedom contrast with narrower views of development such as identifying the development with the growth of gross national product, rise in the personal income, or with industrialization, technological advance or social modernization.

Growth of individual income means expanding the freedom enjoyed by the members of the society, but freedom depends on social and economic arrangements like health, education as well as political and civil rights like liberty to participate in public discussion and scrutiny, and others also contributes to expand the human freedom.

Viewing development in the terms of expanding substantive freedoms directs attention to the ends that make development important.

For development we need to remove source of unfreedom like; poverty, tyranny, poor economic opportunity, systematic social deprivation, neglect of public facilities, intolerance and overactivity of repressive states.

Sometimes because of lack of substantive freedom directly relates to economic poverty, people robs of the freedom to satisfy hunger, to achieve sufficient nutrition, or to obtain remedies for treatable illnesses.

On the other case unfreedom links to the lack of public facilities and social care.

Freedom in central Process of development for two distinct reasons are:-

1. The Evaluative reason:- the assessment of progress has to be done primarily in terms of whether the freedom that people have or enhanced.

2. The Effectiveness reason:-achievement of development is thoroughly dependent on the free agency of people.

The first motivation: the evaluated reason for concentrating on freedom.

In pursuing the second, that of effectiveness, we have to look at the relevant empirical connections between freedom of different kinds, it is because of these interconnections, that free and sustainable agency emerges as a major engine of development.

The institutional arrangements for these opportunities are also influenced by the exercise of people's freedoms through the liberty to participate in social choice and in the making of public decisions that impel the progress of these opportunities.

conclusionAs per me I think this concept is right. I am absolutely agree with this

concept that development can seen as a process of expanding the real freedom that people enjoy.

To evaluative the importance of freedom we have to understand the empirical connection that links freedoms of different kinds with one another.

Like political freedom promotes economic security, social opportunities facilitate economic participation, economic facilities generate personal abundance as well as public resources.

With adequate social opportunities, individuals can effectively shape there destiny and help each other.

While development analysis must, on the one hand, be concerned with objectives and aims.

Thank you