“The key to happiness is freedom/And the key to freedom is courage.”
These golden words hold great value in our lives without least amount of doubt. Who wouldn’t wish to experience freedom? In fact, man’s greatest wish is to be free.
But if Nelson Mandela’s words could be borrowed, “To be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
Freedom is a term that cannot be applied to just an individual but is relevant to the society as a whole. It is worth noting that the real essence of freedom lies in helping others to enjoy it too.
What is the basic, essential principle that differentiates freedom from oppression? It can be said it is the principle of voluntary action against physical coercion.
The dictionary defines freedom as “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants”. It can be explained as one’s right to express oneself.
Freedom, in a political context, refers to the absence of physical coercion and being free from government coercion. It means to be free from the coercive power of the authority and nothing else. Freedom also means that one’s life is shaped by personal priorities rather than social pressure.
In the context of a nation, freedom and independence are considered roughly the same, though in the individual scenario it may not necessarily be so. It may be possible for a person to have freedom without independence but attaining independence without the freedom to act according to one’s will is certainly out of question. This is exactly the reason why our Constitution guarantees such fundament rights as freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, right to equality, right against exploitation and most importantly the freedom to choose our own government.
Interestingly, I came across a quote some time back which was perhaps intended with a humourous undertone but the message conveyed cannot be missed. “Your freedom to swing your arms ends where my nose begins.”
It reminds one to be cautious, not to overstep one’s boundaries and respect others’ freedom as well. We must understand that the freedom to exercise one’s rights ends at the point at which it harms someone else.
Independence is interpreted by the dictionary as “being free from outside control and being able to think or act for oneself”. It means that only when one is capable of being self-sufficient and is responsible enough to make one’s own decisions and assume responsibility for them without being influenced by others, that one can be considered independent. Here, the important point to be considered is that education forms the vital door to achieve these qualities.
Independence is a complex idea that is hard to define. Different people perceive independence differently. Some believe that true independence means being able to do whatever one wants without being constrained by rules and laws. Some others believe it to be the right of a person to stand up for himself and take decisions without external pressure. However, the basic principle remains the same that independence is being able to act by oneself and not having to depend on others.
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high/Where knowledge is free… into that heaven of freedom my father let my country awake.”
Only that country that can provide the freedom of securing knowledge, freedom to exercise one’s will without fear, freedom from oppression and class differences will be able to produce independent citizens who can hold their heads high with confidence and are capable to lead our democratic secular country to progress in the world arena .
Freedom is the principle of being able to practice one’s free will in theory. Independence is the ability of a person to exercise his or her free will without fearing repercussions. Therefore, it can be said freedom and independence go hand in hand to form an egalitarian society and work together to achieve peace and harmony.
On a concluding note, I would like to emphasise on the importance of enjoying freedom to the fullest but one must know where to draw the line and to distinguish between good and evil. Only then it can pave the way to independence in the true sense.
(Contributed by Agnivesh Jyotiraditya)