The Four Freedoms - Essay Example

The four freedoms The freedom of speech and expression is a political right to communicate ideas and opinions to aparty willing to receive them by use of property and body. It may include the act of transferring information irrespective of the medium used, but subject to limitations such as slander, libel, sedition or even obscenity. The international covenant on civil and political rights (ICCPR) recognizes the freedom of expression as to having right to holding opinions without interference. The right to speech and expression is related to other rights and it is always limited when in conflict with other rights. Freedom of speech is important in media and press since it heals with public. In a democratic state, of which most states in the world are, the interest and the rights of the state take priority. Politics and freedom to speech is inseparable since politics is the main component of democracy. Some argue that democracy is an idea of peoples self governance. The electorate in such a system must be properly informed and with no constrains for ideas and information to flow. If constrained, the electorate can easily be manipulated to avoid criticisms which are healthy. Accountability process and freedom of speech significantly impacts on the governance quality of a country. The worldwide measure and indicator of the freedom of speech is the freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of media. Debating and open discussions in democratic nations is important in the achievement of a stable and more adaptive community. This brings about consensus rather than imposition of laws. Through social interactions, stakeholders of a particular institution are able to engage in discussions that bears development in the direction of the community. Thus, the freedom of speech and expression plays a major role in the world today and it is one of the main pillars of the democracy building. Freedom of worship also means the freedom of religion or freedom of belief. It protects individual and gives them the liberty to choose to believe in the teachings and faith of their choice. Nobody in any part of the world is compelled to follow any specific religion. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Right covers the fundamentals of the freedom of worship. There are different religions in the world ranging from Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and even Judaism. In pursuit of democracy, a nation should strive as much as possible to tolerate and respect the people’s choice that allows them to worship freely. This was a universal full fledge after the United Nations General Assembly passed a declaration on elimination of all forms of intolerance and religion based discrimination on 25th November 1981. Religion freedom was recognized as a fundamental human right henceforth. (John Winthrop, 2009), the government should allow people to choose religion freely so that long run societal interest to prevail. He pointed out that laws that prevent the freedom of religion seek to preserve belief and power in a particular religion. In a given religion, the way of worship is almost similar but sharply differs between religions. Since there are no laws that prohibit religion choice, it definitely means that the freedom of worship is also guaranteed. This freedom allows people to worship God in their own way and style. In as much as freedom of worship is universal all over in the world, there are no specific and outright laws that dictate and govern on how people should worship. There is also a limit beyond which worship freedom should not go beyond. In pursuit of worship, it musts be within the limits as not to conflict with other laws. In as much as the holy books such as the bible and the Quran being one of the sources of most constitutions in the world, it does not give them prevalence over the constitution. The constitution is the supreme law of any country and any other law that is consistent with it is declared void to the extent of inconsistency. People are free to switch from one religion to the other and as well can choose not to belong to any. However, religious restrictions are reported to be on increase in the recent past in most countries of the world. October 27th is a day set aside to celebrate the international religion freedom. Freedom from want is the right to adequate standard of living. It is recognized in the international human rights instruments. It provides the thresholds of the three basic human needs that an individual should be entitled to these needs include minimum food, clothing and housing entitlement. This is right is contained in article 25 of the universal Declaration of Human Rights and also in article 11 of the international covenant on economic, social and cultural rights. There have been several policies that have been proposed to guarantee the freedom from wants. These include the right to education, property, work and security besides the right to basic needs. The adequate standards of living means that there is a right to health, medical care and also other social services in the event of unemployment, old age, widowhood, disability or sickness. Special care is given to motherhood and childhood to enjoy social protection. The children in specific enjoy protection whether or not they are born within wedlock. All citizens of a given country have the right to be free from huger. The governments are thus charged with a responsibility to ensure that hunger does not occur. It must however be that the rights to better standard of living does not conflict with other fundamental laws since they also have a limit beyond which should not be surpassed. On the same note most organizations that are internationally recognized such as the United Nations have come up with programs in accordance to the international law that protects and implements the freedom fro wants. Freedom from fear is also a fundamental right among others that is also covered in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It was adopted in the year 1948. It means that world-wide armaments should be reduced to a point where no country should commit an aggression that is physical in nature or should be in a position in no position to commit so. It is the right of any citizen to live and enjoy constitutional mandates without any fear. Such fears may be implied or exercised. They include dimensions such as threat and worries exerted by an individual or authority. Therefore for any individual to enjoy this kind of freedom which is a right, it is therefore mandatory for the governments to provide a framework of creating such environments and also prosecuting the culprits reported to inflict fear. It is worth noting that this right also has limits in relation to other constitutional rights individuals are subjected to. The four freedoms originated in the United States of America when the president by then Franklin D Roosevelt who was articulating a speech on January 6th 1941. The freedom speech was necessary to be adopted by the world because it was critical at that time when most of the human freedom was being infringed. It found a good landing spot though it experience some form of resistance in the earlier periods. I agree totally with the adoption and enforcement of the freedoms right away from the freedom of expression and speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. They provide a very secure future anywhere in the world and also an environment that allows proper social, economical and social interactions universally.\in the long run it is possible to create a more efficient and global world. References Jowett, Benjamin. Politics by Aristotle (Written 350 B.C.E). Los Angeles: Indo European Publishing, 2012. Paperback Locke, John. The Second Treatise on Government: Dissolution of Government. England: Awnsham Churchill, 1689. Print Roosevelt, Franklin. State of the Union Address. The United States: Amazon Digital Services, Inc., 2012. Speech Text Winthrop, John. A Model of Christian Charity. The United States: Evergreen Review, Inc., 2009. Kindle Edition Read More