. The National Civic Federation review . and order have protected him from the progress has evolved in every phase of life asphere of liberty evermore secure from the encroach-ments of absolutism. Economic liberty, like politicalliberty; freedom of thought, like freedom of speech, isthe product of a most advanced stage of society. FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUAL ACTION. As opposed to the theories of ancient and mediaevalabsolutism, with its continual interference in the eco-nomic life of the individual, the modern doctrine is that aman can commonly be depended upon for utilizing h
. The National Civic Federation review . and order have protected him from the progress has evolved in every phase of life asphere of liberty evermore secure from the encroach-ments of absolutism. Economic liberty, like politicalliberty; freedom of thought, like freedom of speech, isthe product of a most advanced stage of society. FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUAL ACTION. As opposed to the theories of ancient and mediaevalabsolutism, with its continual interference in the eco-nomic life of the individual, the modern doctrine is that aman can commonly be depended upon for utilizing hisopportunities and turning his own energies to the bestaccount; that an adult of sound mind usually knowswhat is most advantageous for him, and that in makingthe most effective use of his own abilities, he will ordi-narily do the best for the community. It involves thesubstantial identity of private interest and public wel-fare, and it is to-day, almost everywhere in the civilizedworld, either an accomplished fact or a cherished FRANCIS L. ROBBINS,President Pittsburg Coal Company. If we look more closely, however, we shall find thatliberty is more than the mere absence of restraint frominterference. In contrast to this mere negative concep-tion of liberty as adopted by the average man, we mustput the positive conception as elaborated by recent think-ers. Economic freedom is not an attribute of primitiveman, but has been hammered out by centuries of toil-some effort. Individual liberty is the product of socialeffort. If it is to be a constructive rather than a de-structive force; if it is to minister to social progressrather than to social dissolution, it must be accompaniedby two other conditions. Of these the first is equality. ECONOMIC EQUALITY THREEFOLD. By equality we do not mean absolute equality. A cer-tain degree of inequality inheres in the nature of are born with an inequality of physical, mental andmoral attributes which no amount of care can erad
Size: 1430px × 1748px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectlaborandlaboringclas
