Political Philosophy: Liberty and Rights
9. Liberty and Security
James R. Otteson is Joint Professor of Philosophy and Economics at Yeshiva University. He specializes in the history of modern philosophy, political philosophy, and the history and philosophy of economics.
How should we think about the tradeoff between liberty and security? Prof. James Otteson of Yeshiva University argues that a basic amount of security is critical to protect our lives, liberty, and property. Beyond this minimal amount, there is a tradeoff between liberty and security. Some liberty must be given up if we want the government to protect us from risks such as disease, terrorism, and economic downturns. This requires giving up control of our lives to others, which reduces our liberty as well as our human dignity.
- Cliches of Socialism: "I Prefer Security to Freedom" [Article]: Leonard E. Read's short essay on the consequences of preferring security to freedom.
- Balancing Liberty and Security in an Age of Terrorism [Video]: David Rittgers, Michael German, and Chip Bishop discuss the tradeoffs made to balance liberty and security.
- TSA Unitended Consequences? [Video]: Steven Horwitz discusses potentially deadly unintended consequences of increased security at airports.
- Privatizing Airline Safety and Security: The FAA Has No Incentive to Perform [Article]: Paul A. Cleveland and Thomas L. Tucker examine the FAA's impact on security and liberty.
Use these questions to enhance your understanding of the topic. We recommend watching the featured video first; the suggested resources will also help.
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