Single Idea 22596

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 6. Liberalism / d. Liberal freedom]

Full Idea

When a government of any sort puts a threatening hand on that part of individual life beyond its proper scope, …even if it were the whole nation, except for the man it is harassing, it would be no more legitimate for that.

Gist of Idea

No government, or the whole nation, can control an individual beyond legitimate scope

Source

Ian Dunt (How to be a Liberal [2020]), quoted by Ian Dunt - How to be a Liberal 4

Book Reference

Dunt,Ian: 'How to Be a Liberal' [Canbury Press 2020], p.127


A Reaction

The obvious question is what counts as 'proper scope' - and who gets to define it? If the individual can define that, then criminals can appeal to this principle. The state must be persuaded of it, then asked to stick to it during conflicts.