History of Freedom (Bucharest)
After a close look at the concept
of freedom throughout the ages, we come to the conclusion that what we call
"freedom" is, in fact, an ideal that consists of three component
ideals: (1) national freedom; (2) political freedom; and (3) individual
freedom.
National freedom is freedom from
foreign control. This is the most basic concept of freedom. It is the desire of
a nation, ethnic group, or a tribe to rule itself. It is national
self-determination.
Political freedom is the freedom
to vote, hold office, and pass laws. It is the ideal of "consent of the
governed."
Individual freedom is a complex
of values. In its most basic form individual freedom is the freedom to live as
you choose as long as you harm no one else. Each nation, each epoch in history,
perhaps each individual, may define this ideal of individual freedom in
different terms. In its noblest of expressions, individual freedom is enshrined
in the Bill of Rights. It is freedom of conscience, freedom of speech, economic
freedom, and freedom to choose your life style.
Great civilizations have risen
and fallen without any clear concept of freedom. Egypt—, the civilization that built
the pyramids that created astronomy and medicine, did not even have a word for
freedom.. Time and again throughout history people have chosen the perceived
benefits of security over the awesome responsibilities of freedom.
The Roman Empire represents two centuries that brought peace
and prosperity to the world by extinguishing national and political freedom,
but in which individual freedom flourished as it never had.
History demonstrates that one of
the most basic human feelings is the desire for national freedom. You may hate
your government, but if someone invades you, you may very well fight in defense
of your country..
From the Declaration of
Independence to the First World War, the history provides a dramatic example of the separation
of these three component ideals of freedom. After 1776, the United States
had national freedom. Adult white males also had political and individual
freedom. White women had a considerable degree of individual freedom but no
political liberty until 1920 and the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment.
Until after the Civil War, African-Americans possessed neither political nor
individual freedom. In 1857 the Supreme Court formally ruled that
African-Americans did not have the right to individual or political freedom.
The soldiers of the Confederacy fought valiantly for their political,
individual, and national freedom while defending their right to deny individual
and political liberty to a considerable proportion of their population.
When Abraham Lincoln went to
Gettysburg to redefine
his mission, he started with the Declaration of Independence. "Four score
and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation,
conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created
equal." It was unique because it was dedicated to the proposition that all
men are created equal. In one sentence he told Americans why they were fighting
the war, to see whether any nation so conceived and dedicated could long
endure.
CONCEPT OF FREEDOM IN
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS
The Charter of
Fundamental Rights of the European Union
This chart stipulates the rights of a
human being seen as personal freedom (freedom of though, of religion, of
conscience). The concept of freedom enclosed in this chart reunites all the
ideas of freedom for which mankind fought over the ages.
The Union contributes to the preservation
and to the development of these common values while respecting the diversity of
the cultures and traditions of the peoples of Europe as well as the national
identities of the Member States and the organization of their public
authorities at national, regional and local levels; it seeks to promote
balanced and sustainable development and ensures free movement of persons,
goods, services and capital, and the freedom of establishment.
FREEDOMS
Article 6
Right to liberty and
security
Everyone has the right to
liberty and security of person.
Article 7
Respect for private and
family life
Everyone has the right to
respect for his or her private and family life, home and communications.
Article 8
Protection of personal data
1. Everyone has the right
to the protection of personal data concerning him or her.
2. Such data must be
processed fairly for specified purposes and on the basis of the consent of the
person concerned or some
other legitimate basis laid down by law. Everyone has the right of access to
data which has been
collected concerning him or her, and the right to have it rectified.
3. Compliance with these
rules shall be subject to control by an independent authority.
Article 9
Right to marry and right to
found a family
The right to marry and the
right to found a family shall be guaranteed in accordance with the national
laws governing the exercise
of these rights.
Article 10
Freedom of thought,
conscience and religion
1. Everyone has the right
to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom
to change religion or
belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or
in
private, to manifest
religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2. The right to
conscientious objection is recognised, in accordance with the national laws
governing
the exercise of this right.
C 364/10 EN Official
Journal of the European Communities 18.12.2000
Article 11
Freedom of expression and
information
1. Everyone has the right
to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions
and to receive and impart
information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless
of frontiers.
2. The freedom and
pluralism of the media shall be respected.
Article 12
Freedom of assembly and of
association
1. Everyone has the right
to freedom of peaceful assembly and to freedom of association at all levels,
in particular in political,
trade union and civic matters, which implies the right of everyone to form and
to join trade unions for
the protection of his or her interests.
2. Political parties at
Union level contribute to expressing the political will of the citizens of the
Union.
Article 13
Freedom of the arts and
sciences
The arts and scientific
research shall be free of constraint. Academic freedom shall be respected.
Article 14
Right to education
1. Everyone has the right
to education and to have access to vocational and continuing training.
2. This right includes the
possibility to receive free compulsory education.
3. The freedom to found
educational establishments with due respect for democratic principles and
the right of parents to
ensure the education and teaching of their children in conformity with their
religious, philosophical
and pedagogical convictions shall be respected, in accordance with the national
laws governing the exercise
of such freedom and right.
Article 15
Freedom to choose an
occupation and right to engage in work
1. Everyone has the right
to engage in work and to pursue a freely chosen or accepted occupation.
2. Every citizen of the Union
has the freedom to seek employment, to work, to exercise the right of
establishment and to
provide services in any Member
State.
18.12.2000 EN Official
Journal of the European Communities C 364/11
3. Nationals of third
countries who are authorised to work in the territories of the Member States
are
entitled to working
conditions equivalent to those of citizens of the Union.
Article 16
Freedom to conduct a
business
The freedom to conduct a
business in accordance with Community law and national laws and practices
is recognised.
Article 17
Right to property
1. Everyone has the right
to own, use, dispose of and bequeath his or her lawfully acquired
possessions. No one may be
deprived of his or her possessions, except in the public interest and in
the cases and under the
conditions provided for by law, subject to fair compensation being paid in good
time for their loss. The
use of property may be regulated by law in so far as is necessary for the
general
interest.
2. Intellectual property
shall be protected.
Article 18
Right to asylum
The right to asylum shall
be guaranteed with due respect for the rules of the Geneva Convention of 28
July 1951 and the Protocol
of 31 January 1967 relating to the status of refugees and in accordance with
the Treaty establishing the
European Community.
Article 19
Protection in the event of
removal, expulsion or extradition
1. Collective expulsions
are prohibited.
2.
No one may be removed, expelled or extradited to a State where there is a
serious risk that he or
she
would be subjected to the death penalty, torture or other inhuman or degrading
treatment .
The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The
Universal Declaration of Human Rights emphasizes the equality among people.
On December 10, 1948
the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights.. Following this historic act the Assembly called
upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to
cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in
schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the
political status of countries or territories."
On
the 10th of December 2008 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
celebrates its 60th anniversary.
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They
are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a
spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on
the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the
country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent,
trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
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