Fish- Blog Post 12
In Development as Freedom, Amartya Sen identifies five types of instrumental freedoms: political freedom, economic facilities, social opportunities, transparency guarantees, and protective security (Sen 38). In explaining these instruments of freedom, he writes that “These instrumental freedoms tend to contribute to the general capability of a person to live more freely, but they also serve to complement one another” (Sen 38). While to an extent each instrument holds profound importance, I believe that political freedom is distinctly crucial for social stability.
Looking at someone like Smith, who argues quite directly that “Justice . . . is the main pillar that upholds the whole edifice. If it is removed, the great, the immense fabric of human society, that fabric which to raise and support, seems, in this world, if I may say so, to have been the peculiar and daring care of nature, must in a moment crumble into atoms,” it is hard to see how other freedoms can hold up to political freedom (Smith 87). Without upholding the virtue of justice, the thing that holds up “the immense fabric of human society,” there is no sense of stability.
Sen argues that political freedom refers “to the opportunities that people have to determine who should govern and on what principles, and also include the possibility to scrutinize and criticize authorities'' (Sen 38). The core of freedom is undeniably rooted in political freedom. Sen seems to agree, suggesting that “the safeguarding of liberty has to be ultimately related to the general political acceptability of its importance” (Sen 65). Without the stamp of approval from the state, most freedoms are not legitimately protected. With Smith’s argument for justice in mind, it is clear that the basic protections political freedoms provide make it more significant than other freedoms.
While of course things like economic freedom and social opportunities allow a society to flourish, as Smith argues it is possible to see how a society can function, even if uncomfortably, in a world with just political freedom. Alternatively, it is nearly impossible to see a world in which political freedoms are not protected. Without political freedoms, other instruments of freedom cannot exist. But the reverse cannot as easily be said. Economic freedom relies on political freedom; political freedom is not as dependent on economic freedom, and instead helps facilitate economic freedom.
Looking at someone like Smith, who argues quite directly that “Justice . . . is the main pillar that upholds the whole edifice. If it is removed, the great, the immense fabric of human society, that fabric which to raise and support, seems, in this world, if I may say so, to have been the peculiar and daring care of nature, must in a moment crumble into atoms,” it is hard to see how other freedoms can hold up to political freedom (Smith 87). Without upholding the virtue of justice, the thing that holds up “the immense fabric of human society,” there is no sense of stability.
Sen argues that political freedom refers “to the opportunities that people have to determine who should govern and on what principles, and also include the possibility to scrutinize and criticize authorities'' (Sen 38). The core of freedom is undeniably rooted in political freedom. Sen seems to agree, suggesting that “the safeguarding of liberty has to be ultimately related to the general political acceptability of its importance” (Sen 65). Without the stamp of approval from the state, most freedoms are not legitimately protected. With Smith’s argument for justice in mind, it is clear that the basic protections political freedoms provide make it more significant than other freedoms.
While of course things like economic freedom and social opportunities allow a society to flourish, as Smith argues it is possible to see how a society can function, even if uncomfortably, in a world with just political freedom. Alternatively, it is nearly impossible to see a world in which political freedoms are not protected. Without political freedoms, other instruments of freedom cannot exist. But the reverse cannot as easily be said. Economic freedom relies on political freedom; political freedom is not as dependent on economic freedom, and instead helps facilitate economic freedom.
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