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Liberty or Equality
Liberty University
GOVT 302 Modern Political and Economic Ideas
Liberty or Equality
Liberty and equality are two theories that are often at the foundation of political
arguments and seem to be the basis of many politicians’ platforms. “Legal and political
institutions inevitably deal with the combination of individuality in a social regime. Because of
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social entities – there is a requirement for individual liberty and equality.” (Trujillo, 2021) These
concepts are also a prerequisite for a pursuit of happiness and are the true path to ensuring
each human is granted the natural freedom given at birth. We have to remember that liberty is
not measured in good or evil but rather used as a general tool to gain fleshly desires. Liberty in
pursuing our dreams, meeting goals, and aiming for what society informs us is “good”. Equality
is the tool used to determine the sum of life. How opportunities, rights, and resources are
allocated to certain social groups, is the true definition of equality. It is important to remember;
that in the early American government, we can find mentions of both liberty and equality;
which shines a light on how important both are. An absence of one would lead to a failing
government. “These words represent basic values of democratic political systems. Rule by
absolute monarchs and emperors cost personal freedoms. Democratic values support the belief
that an orderly society can exist in which freedom is preserved. But order and freedom must be
balanced.” (Democratic Values — Liberty, Equality, Justice, 2022) For everyone to have access to
simple freedoms, we have to first be equal. Liberty and equality are intertwined but in my
opinion, I believe for one to have both, equality has to be the dominant factor in modern
politics.
Many of our Founding Fathers have emphasized the importance of liberty and equality.
To them, liberty is defined as “freedom from arbitrary and unreasonable restraint upon an
individual.” (Liberty, 2021) Unreasonable as we know, can be subjective. The term unreasonable
is what leads us to value liberty or equality over the other. The argument can be settled by
understanding our government’s history. An early English philosopher, John Locke believed “all
men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with unalienable natural rights;
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (Capaldi & Lloyd, 2016, pg. 18). He goes further to
explain how liberty is indeed the same as freedom but should be aligned with biblical principles
to ensure individual freedom does not lead to selfishness and greed. Modern politics today has
moved away from this concept as the term “self-love” is now quoted and imprinted on our
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minds; going against God’s original vision for this world and the foundation of what government
was to be. Individual liberty is a requirement for all to essentially have equality but it is very
important for there to be a separation of powers. Protecting rights and private property should
be the government’s priority without infringing on one’s God-given rights. Romans chapters two
and three reveal “although not all receive God’s express law, all people have the innate sense of
moral rectitude to which their conscience testify. All people are subject to his righteousness.”
(VanDrunen, 2021)
Jean Jacques Rousseau was a philosopher and writer who assisted in laying the
foundation of modern politics. According to Rousseau, “modern politics are based on a partial
understanding of a man.” (Strauss & Cropsey, 1987, p.254). Understanding that each man
desires different and believes different, also realizing their worldview or narrative shapes the
way they view the world around them including government. They hold their government to
different standards and many believe that all men are created equal. Rousseau also believed this
but added that each right should not be compressed by law. He enforced that equality has to be
a requirement; if equality is needed for liberty to succeed, we would prioritize equality. Equality
is not a concept some ethnicities believe is delivered or given to everyone; Rousseau’s concept
is that equality and liberty are hand and hand and cannot be achieved without the other. His
main emphasis is that liberty is needed to achieve equality, but moral equality. As stated
previously, moral equality can be intimidated by economic stress or circumstances. “No one is
so rich to buy another but not so poor to have to sell himself.” (Social Contract of 1762) Every
person comes into society with nothing or what Rousseau describes as “naked” or ignorant. We
do not know what is a natural right or the term equality is until we see someone with something
we deem better or have more than what we have in our lives. In order for this natural need to
have more or to place everyone on the same playing field; he believes everyone should give up
all items as they enter into “civil society”. They will have all private property and all private items
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removed and embrace the new social construct. This will ensure true equality can happen and
in return, liberty will align.
The question arises; is Rousseau’s idea of social construct align with God’s purpose for
man. This idea of natural law and private property; stripped the mindset to allow all men to be
equal; is it truly God’s vision for man? A Christian worldview would agree in some aspects; God
created us to praise him but with free will, the ability to choose the path we want to walk in our
lives. He mentions purpose in multiple scriptures but only if we seek him and ask to be reborn.
Proverbs chapter sixteen verse nine states “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord
establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 (ESV), 2019) God allows us to have full liberty over our
lives but in the end, he is the author and finisher of our purpose. Christians would agree that
God loves and created everyone equally. Some of our founding fathers believe that equality for
all will limit personal liberty. If we look at the beginning of God’s word in Genesis, we know that
he created everything equally and in Revelation, all ends equally. “God created mankind in his
own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female.” (Genesis 1:27 (NIV), 2019)
is the foundation for Christianity and can be used to justify equality. Further in the New
Testament, we learn that Jesus does not see differences; but see’s all men as one. “There is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free; there is no male or female..for you all are
one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28 (ESV) 2018). We may never get to a world where everyone is
on the same playing field or how God created this world to be; the key is to acknowledge the
inequalities and ensure that we as individuals are pressing towards God’s word.
In conclusion, our founding fathers and different philosophers such as Jean Jacque
Rousseau presented different views. Liberty and equality have many similarities and different
perspectives; each is needed to gain true freedom. One will ultimately lead to the other, you
cannot have full liberty without tapping into equality. There is one notion that it is possible to
differentiate or “separation of powers” between government liberty or equality and private
property. (Trujillo, 2021) The truth is the more liberty desired the less equality one is
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guaranteed. The opposite of liberty is intrusiveness with the opposite of equality is
discrimination. This takes away liberty, if modern politics’ first priority is to ensure all receive the
natural laws; the goal should be to prioritize equality over liberty. This will ensure that all
individuals can be who they were created to be in God’s image.
References
Capaldi, N., & Lloyd, G. (2016). Liberty and Equality in Political Economy: From Locke versus
Rousseau to the Present (New Thinking in Political Economy series). Edward Elgar
Publishing.
Democratic Values — Liberty, Equality, Justice [ushistory.org]. (2022, April 27). American
Government. https://www.ushistory.org/gov/1d.asp
Galatians 3:28 (NIV). (2018). Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2022, from
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%203%3A28&version=NIV
Genesis 1:27 (NIV). (2019). Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2022, from
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201%3A27&version=NIV
Strauss, L., & Cropsey, J. (1987). History of Political Philosophy (3rd ed.). University of Chicago
Press
Liberty. (2021, July). LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved April 24, 2022, from
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/liberty#:
%7E:text=As%20used%20in%20Constitution%2C%20liberty,according%20to%20one’s
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%20own%20will
Locke’s Political Philosophy (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). (2020, October 6). Stanford
Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 28, 2022, from
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-political/
Proverbs 16:9 (ESV). (2019). Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2022, from
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+16%3A9&version=ESV
Trujillo, I. (2021). The Legal Balance Between Liberty and Equality. The Legal Balance
Between Liberty and Equality, 69(3), 675–689.
https://doi.org/10.51204/anali_pfbu_21307a VanDrunen, D. (2021, June 12). Conscience
and Natural Law in Scripture (Chapter 2) - Christianity and the Laws of Conscience.
Cambridge Core. Retrieved May 2022, from
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/christianity-and-the-laws-of-conscience/
conscience-and-natural-law-in-scripture/9D33AC1E6F91D84714C20A6756563B82
