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Freedom

Freedom: Adam Smith and Jean Jacques Rousseau

Smith: Background
o Baptized June 5th, 1723, Died July 17th, 1790.
o Studied (and later taught) at the University of Glasgow under Francis Hutcheson (“father of utilitarianism”)
o Later attended Oxford.
o Was influenced by the ideas and works of friend and fellow philosopher, David Hume.
Fun Fact: Smith was kidnapped by Gypsies at age 4.

Philosophy and Ideas on Freedom
o Theories of government and premises of authority are to be critiqued and not
    imposed
o In the nature of men, one’s desires and aspirations cause him to knowingly accumulate capital needed to increase productivity and success.   Men act in self-interest, not merely benevolence.
o Interactions of supply and demand in the marketplace cause a “Natural Order” to emerge.   This order acts in place of government to regulate the people.
o Natural order allows men to be “perfectly free to pursue his own interests in his own way” as long as the laws of justice are followed.
o A sovereign is only necessary to
• Protect society from violence and attempted invasion of other societies
• Protect members from injustice/oppression
• Establishing and maintaining certain public institutions

Rousseau: Philosophy and Ideas on Freedom
o “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”
o Force is not a legitimate form of political authority nor is divine right
o Governments are illegitimate for they fail to recognize the freedom of human nature
o Subjects are oppressed or enslaved under arbitrary authority.
o Man can never return to the original state of nature.   As a result, man must create a new legitimate system that establishes a new and modern idea of freedom.
o With the social contract, every individual gives himself and his rights to the society as a whole resulting in total equality.   All people have common power which is directed as a whole by the general will to determine what is best for the common good.