Freedom: The courage to be Yourself - Essay Example

According to Carl Marx, freedom has blended into the community and cannot be enjoyed individually unless the whole community has freedom (The German Ideology). Nevertheless, common citizens do not have individual liberty unless they are in the ruling class. This implies that only the ruling class can determine their freedom. Marx asserts that ‘personassertsssedom has existed only for the individuals who developed within the relationships of the ruling class, and only insofar as they were individuals of this class.’ Freedom allows a person to undertake any activity or action that he or she wishes as long as it does not limit or interfere with the freedom of another person.

Self-determination is supposed to impact decisions that affect only the individual and not others. For example, one has the freedom to swing one hand, however, this does not mean crushing another person’s nose in the guise of swinging own hands. To utilize freedom effectively, people should be bound by the principles such as self-control. This implies that the person can know the extent and limits of freedom. Overemphasis on freedom can be detrimental to the individual, community, or the country at large.

Freedom is thus regulated by law since it is sometimes used as justification for illegal activities. There are several types of freedom. Freedom of worship is guaranteed in many countries practicing democracy. This allows individuals to proclaim their religion without fear (Osho 2013). Economic freedom allows people to determine how to do business and who to associate with in business. However, this type of freedom is constrained by geographical locations and political factors. For example, transactionFor example threatening security cannot term as economic freedom.

Political freedom is the liberty to determine individual political affiliations without any coercion. Brett (2008) asserts that an individual can only change his or her political position based on persuasion. Political freedom further implies that a person cannot be punished for his or her political choices. Freedom of movement allows people to go anywhere they please as long as they adhere to the laws about movement. Freedom of speech is also vital in expressing individual sentiments on issues.

Freedom to speak out entails speaking one’s mind on issues of personal or collective interest. This freedom guarantees that no person can be punished or victimized for speaking his or her mind. However, the principle of self-control and restraint applies. The principle limits derogatory and inciting statements propagated in the guise of freedom of speech. In conclusion, freedom can be enjoyed by the virtual of being human. This implies that human beings have the power to enhance their freedom through individual and collective actions. As discussed, the actions may include changes in regimes and laws that limit freedom.