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Liberty

Liberty is the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views.[1]

For other uses, see Liberty (disambiguation).

The concept of liberty can have different meanings depending on context.


In Christian theology, liberty is freedom from the effects of "sin, spiritual servitude, [or] worldly ties".[2]


In the Constitutional law of the United States, Ordered liberty means creating a balanced society where individuals have the freedom to act without unnecessary interference (negative liberty) and access to opportunities and resources to pursue their goals (positive liberty), all within a fair legal system.


Sometimes liberty is differentiated from freedom by using the word "freedom" primarily, if not exclusively, to mean the ability to do as one wills and what one has the power to do; and using the word "liberty" to mean the absence of arbitrary restraints, taking into account the rights of all involved. In this sense, the exercise of liberty is subject to capability and limited by the rights of others. Thus liberty entails the responsible use of freedom under the rule of law without depriving anyone else of their freedom. Liberty can be taken away as a form of punishment. In many countries, people can be deprived of their liberty if they are convicted of criminal acts.


Liberty originates from the Latin word libertas, derived from the name of the goddess Libertas, who, along with more modern personifications, is often used to portray the concept, and the archaic Roman god Liber. The word "liberty" is often used in slogans, such as in "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"[3] and "Liberté, égalité, fraternité".[4]

1066 – as a condition of his coronation assented to the London Charter of Liberties which guaranteed the "Saxon" liberties of the City of London.

William the Conqueror

1100 – the is passed which sets out certain liberties of nobles, church officials and individuals.

Charter of Liberties

1166 – transformed English law by passing the Assize of Clarendon. The act, a forerunner to trial by jury, started the abolition of trial by combat and trial by ordeal.[19]

Henry II of England

1187-1189 – publication of which contains authoritative definitions of freedom and servitude.

Tractatus de legibus et consuetudinibus regni Anglie

1215 – was enacted, becoming the cornerstone of liberty in first England, then Great Britain, and later the world.[20][21]

Magna Carta

1628 – the English Parliament passed the which set out specific liberties of English citizens.

Petition of Right

1679 – the English Parliament passed the which outlawed unlawful or arbitrary imprisonment.

Habeas Corpus Act

1689 – the granted "freedom of speech in Parliament", and reinforced many existing civil rights in England. The Scots law equivalent the Claim of Right is also passed.[22]

Bill of Rights

1772 – the judgement found that slavery was unsupported by common law in England and Wales.

Somerset v Stewart

1859 – an essay by the philosopher John Stuart Mill, entitled , argued for toleration and individuality. "If any opinion is compelled to silence, that opinion may, for aught we can certainly know, be true. To deny this is to assume our own infallibility."[23][24]

On Liberty

1948 – British representatives attempted to but were prevented from adding a legal framework to the . (It was not until 1976 that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights came into force, giving a legal status to most of the Declaration.)[25]

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

1958 – , by Isaiah Berlin, identified "negative liberty" as an obstacle, as distinct from "positive liberty" which promotes self-mastery and the concepts of freedom.[26]

Two Concepts of Liberty

(1689). Two Treatises of Government: In the Former, the False Principles, and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, and His Followers, Are Detected and Overthrown. the Latter Is an Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent, and End of Civil Government. London: Awnsham Churchill.

John Locke

(1850). The Law. Paris: Guillaumin & Co.

Frédéric Bastiat

(1859). On Liberty. London: John W Parker and Son.

John Stuart Mill

(1874). Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. London: Smith, Elder, & Co.

James Fitzjames Stephen

(2010). Magna Carta: Manuscripts and Myths. London: The British Library. ISBN 978-0-7123-5833-0.

Breay, Claire

; Harrison, Julian, eds. (2015). Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy. London: The British Library. ISBN 978-0-7123-5764-7.

Breay, Claire

Danziger, Danny; Gillingham, John (2004). . Hodder Paperbacks. ISBN 978-0-340-82475-7.

1215: The Year of Magna Carta

Media related to Liberty at Wikimedia Commons

Quotations related to Liberty at Wikiquote