Freedom and Its Betrayal: Six Enemies of Human Liberty - Updated Edition

by Isaiah Berlin

inimical

The only barrier to this is formed by the need to protect other men in respect of the same rights, or else to protect the common security of them all, so that I am in this sense free if no institution or person interferes with me except for its or his own self-protection.

The law is what the ruler wills, and because he wills it, whatever his motive, it may not be examined at all. That is the theory of absolute monarchy.

He therefore thinks that it is of no use merely to try to improve mankind by argument. The purpose of reform is to establish new institutions designed to maximise pleasure and minimise pain – to make people

He supposes that there will be progress if a sufficient number of enlightened men with resolute wills and with a disinterested passion to improve mankind set themselves to promote it, above all if they convert the rulers of mankind – the kings, the ministers – and teach them the art of government, for government is certainly an art.

He must compass his purposes by much more drastic means. He must do so by legislation and by inventing a system of sticks and carrots for the human donkey. The philosopher, when he is in power, must create an artificial system of rewards and punishments which will reward men whenever they do what in fact leads to greater happiness, and punish them when in fact they do that which diminishes it. What human motives are is totally irrelevant.