Right vs Freedom
The Constitution of a Democratic Country gives its Citizens certain rights and duties. If those rights and duties are upheld in righteous manner then the country can be said to be providing Freedom to its people. They are two different kinds of terms but related to similar items.
Definition of Right and Freedom
The terms will be clearer by understanding their opposites. Duty is the opposite of Right. If you are given a gift you are also required to do your little part. The opposite of Freedom is Captivity. But in the modern colloquial term it would be Tyranny.
- Getting a chance to vote at the national elections means getting your right.
- Getting a chance to vote for someone you really want to vote for means freedom. Presently it is very difficult to find a country that can be called to be 100% Freedom Filled. Whether it is big democracies like US or India, the choices available make voters choose the lesser evil instead of choosing the best. Therefore just because you can vote in India and USA and not in Afghanistan, doesn’t make India and USA provide more ‘Freedom’ than Afghanistan. The two certainly provide the rights. But how well is Freedom preserved is an objective perception. Between the two, USA would certainly appear to be providing more ‘Freedom’ economically and socially. But to some people India might be a more fair and peaceful place to live than USA and this having more ‘Freedom’.
Brief History of Right and Freedom
Both terms are related to democracy and constitution. Hence their dates and timelines follow similar paths. The concepts of citizens and rights are older than even the Roman Empire. It would be debate-able to say that maybe freedom has not increased but decrease with the passing of time. From pastures and vast fields we have come to living in cubicles and 2 bedroom apartments. But then we do live longer, faster, and bigger today, but do we also live deeper?
Uses of Right and Freedom
- A Right is a common privilege given to all citizens for example the right to vote, the right to property, the right to worship, the right to information, etc.
- Freedom is when you have no constraints to conduction your actions ‘“ freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom to rebel, freedom to complain, etc.
Examples of Right and Freedom
- Freedom is having a Right.
- Right is something you can demand when you do a Duty.
Summary:
1. In modern parlance both words refer to similar things like Freedom of the Press and Right to Information.
2. Freedom means having a good environment where Rights and Duties are honourably preserved.
3. If you are entitled to something, you have a Right towards it.
4. Freedom itself is the fundamental human right.
5. An ideal country where all rights are upheld, all citizens treated alike, where corruption is negligible, where terrorism and military operations are unheard of, can be called a place truly having Freedom.