[lbo-talk] negative freedoms

Charles Brown charlesb at cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Sat May 17 08:52:06 PDT 2008


Yes. The provision of food, housing, and education always also commands, to be responsible, be normal, parent and behave in acceptable ways. And paternalistic is the right word, as Harvey is most nostalgic for the welfare state (positive liberty) without seeming to be aware of its normalizing regulations (paternalism) -- <http://www.metamute.org/en/The-Battle-of-all-Mothers>, for example -- that is, when, as in the passage I quote, he's not endorsing them..

There's also a sense in which food, housing, and education are also negative: *from* hunger, want, and ignorance. But they aren't freedom *to* anything. Except work.

^^^^ CB: With food, there would also be the freedom to eat. On the face of it seems that if food is kept away from one there is no "freedom" *to* anything. Except to die, a truly negative freedom.

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