Freedom is the power to act without external constraint. It is one of the most contested concepts in philosophy. Isaiah Berlin distinguished negative freedom, which is freedom from interference, and positive freedom, which is freedom to realize one's potential. Negative freedom is about the absence of obstacles. Positive freedom is about self-mastery and self-realization. Both matter, and they can conflict. A state that removes obstacles may also impose its own vision of what you should become.

Philosophers have debated whether freedom is compatible with determinism, whether it requires material conditions, and whether it is individual or collective. Locke argued that freedom is a natural right, limited by the rights of others. Rousseau argued that true freedom is obedience to a law we give ourselves. Hegel saw freedom as the goal of history, realized in ethical life. Marx argued that freedom requires economic emancipation, not just political rights. Existentialists emphasized personal freedom and responsibility. Feminists and critical theorists have shown how freedom is shaped by gender, race, and class. Freedom is not one thing. It is a family of ideas, each with its own history and politics.

Kinds of freedom

• Negative. Freedom from interference.
• Positive. Freedom to realize one's potential.
• Political. Freedom to participate in government.
• Economic. Freedom from want and exploitation.

Freedom is often called a right. But it is also a condition, and conditions can be unequal.