September 17, 2024
Freedom and the General Interest
It is often said that everyone is free to do what they want as long as it does
not harm others, or, as they more elegantly put it in the 18th century, that
one's freedom ends where another's begins. But in reality, whatever we do
affects everyone else. Even what I eat can influence the economy, the balance of
payments, healthcare costs (if it harms me), and so on. It is therefore a
compromise that varies according to circumstances: maximum in times of
prosperity, minimal in times of difficulty (for example, during war, food is
rationed).