FREEDOM AS THE BASIC LIBERAL PRINCIPLE

Main Article Content

Yurii SVYSHCHO

Abstract

Introduction. Nowadays freedom is one of the most important problems. Today it is observed not only as the main value of human and society, but also as a guarantee and condition of economic prosperity and formation of social equality. Politicians and political thinkers of the leading Western countries proclaimed liberal way of development as the most effective and worth human. The purpose of the study is to create a conceptual approach to the problem of freedom as the basic principle of liberalism. Methods. The implementation goal is carried out in the context of general methodological rules of philosophical studies, in particular the principles of unity historical and logical, development principle, principles of comprehensiveness and historicism. The use of hermeneutic method provides interpretation and reinterpretation of texts. An important role has cultural method and method of comparative analysis. Results. Much attention of intellectual discourse pays to the issue of freedom, which is viewed in synchronous and diachronic dimension, usually accompanied by significant differences in its interpretation. It is emphasized that the implementation of political freedom never comes directly; therefore, people usually do not feel their political influence. Originality. The spread of liberal ideas and establish real freedom and equality in today`s world is significantly restricted the dominant hierarchical structure of society which took place in some countries. This hierarchical structure destroys the equality of opportunities and freedom itself. Providing real freedom is possible only in case of ensuring the common welfare, which usually restricts economic freedom. Conclusion. The study shows the ambiguity of liberal approaches to the interpretation of freedom and turned out that liberalism in the period of its formation defended the right to negative freedom, which was seen not so much as a constructive program of social development, but as the intention of the destruction of established social order. As a result, individual freedom started to be seen not only through the prism of individual rights, but as well as the condition and part of common welfare of the society.

Article Details

Section
SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY

References

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