Philosophy and Politics: Positive Freedom... or Negative Freedom?
One of the "fringe benefits" of not being a US national while living in the USA is that I get all sorts of questions about "what it was like to grow up over there."
Being Danish, I definitely get my share of questions about baked goods, and "whether we really eat raw fish," along with mis-allusions to the Danish pron industry (actually thinking of the Netherlands) but I also get asked a considerable number of political questions, particularly by people who tend to be on the right leaning end of the political spectrum.
For some, it's almost impossible to step aside from their perception that Denmark is a "Socialist" country, and I must be virtually a Communist.
Neither of which, of course, are true.
ACADEMIC Truths...
One of the reasons I generally don't get involved in too many political debates is that a lot of people tend to argue from the perspective of ideology or academic philosophy, rather than practical application.
They may have a theory about something, but they have never looked at and experienced ongoing working examples of the process in question.
I always listen politely to those who start to come at me with Libertarian perspectives, quoting Austrian School economics at me... which offer many fine principles that might be excellent guiding ideas for the world... as long as you don't expect to actually apply them outside the intellectual think tanks hidden away behind the ivy-covered walls of academia where everyone has college educations and 130+ IQs.
My point?
A lot of perspectives are wonderful things as long as they are kept among a niche group of highly motivated, educated and intelligent people with similar ideals... but fall apart as soon as they need to be applied in a broader world filled with greed, apathy, laziness, indifference, manipulation and a lack of motivation.
Just ask the good folks in the town of Von Ormy, Texas...
But back to the main event...
The Question Was:
Asked by a local friend who's very much a "conservative:"
"How free a country IS Denmark?"
This is someone I've already gone around the block with a few times, explaining that my original native country is not "socialist," it's a free-market social democracy and the difference is considerable.
Of course, it's a really nebulous question because "freedom" means so many different things to different people. But it did make me sit down and really think about freedom, as we look at it in the US of A, and in Denmark... both being places where I have lived for a long time.
A Random Impression...
Mrs. Denmarkguy and I like to go back to Denmark every few years or so to spend 3-4 weeks "over there" during the summer. We basically live in a summer cottage that belongs to some family members and live as locals while we are there.
In other words, my perspectives aren't filtered through the lens of tourism.
One of the things I really notice after each visit is the pervasive police presence in the US.
We drive around and go to the local towns for four weeks, and in Denmark we might see one police car or patrol during that entire time. When we return to the US, we'll likely see half a dozen squad cars, just driving home from the airport.
That helped answer my friend...
"Negative" Freedom Sounds Pretty Negative...
When I consider "freedom" in the US, the focus seems to be heavily on protecting people from having their freedoms TAKEN AWAY.
I realize that might sound very negative, and it isn't really. It's just that much freedom in the US revolves around preventing people from being "forced" to do things. A good example would be to look at the recent uproar surrounding our being "forced" to wear masks, due to Covid-19. The public debate centered heavily on the notion that a freedom was being taken AWAY.
I suppose the foundation is that the US supports a system where the state/government doesn't "require" much of its citizens... while at the same time time, we are not really "given" much of anything. From which, I suppose, arises the entire "rugged individualism" and "from rags to riches" mystique the US still imparts around the world. "The American Dream," and all that.
Positive Freedom, or "Given" Freedom...
When I talk with my Danish relatives — most of whom have been to the US, some who have lived here — my impression is that they perceive freedom in Denmark as the freedom to choose what you want, and to feel supported in that.
The state/government is there to support freedoms, through education, healthcare and social safety nets. For example, one of my cousins is a doctor and she came from a very humble upbringing... "freedom" to her meant she experienced no "barriers to entry" to pursue becoming a doctor.
Which isn't to say that the Danes hand out MDs to people who are not qualified, just that the cost of that education was not a roadblock.
Of course, my Danish family also likes to talk about things like the lower ages of consent, drinking and tobacco in Denmark... a different set of freedoms.
Personally, I see both sides of the conversation as having its own upsides and downsides.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great remainder of your week!
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Created at 2024-04-26 02:23 PDT
1137/2395
My understanding of freedom irrespective of where one lives.
The right to be able/allowed to do whatever you want with good knowledge of good vs evil. Living without being controlled by man made law, too many countries are drowning in right now.
That sounds like a good definition to me!
The strange thing about living in the USA is that this country is so big on "everything freedom," yet even the freedom here almost seems to be enforced by law. As in, this subtext of "now is the time that you must take your freedom, and it must take this form!" sensation. There is something vaguely creepy about it!
Sitting in South Africa watching the West bend to the crazy, we have already experienced. It makes ones mind swirl thinking how people are managing this onslaught.