The Personal Website of Mark W. Dawson

The Four Freedoms

The Four Freedoms were goals articulated by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt on January 6, 1941. In an address known as The Four Freedoms Speech (technically the 1941 State of the Union Address), he proposed four fundamental freedoms that people "Everywhere In The World" ought to enjoy^.:

1. Freedom Of Speech
2. Freedom Of Worship
3. Freedom From Want
4. Freedom From Fear

The speech delivered by President Roosevelt incorporated the following text, known as the "Four Freedoms":

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world."

— Franklin D. Roosevelt, excerpted from the State of the Union Address to the Congress, January 6, 1941

The exact definition of what the Four Freedoms entails is, and will ever be, up to debate - as it should be. An expansive definition could infringe on the freedoms and liberties of some Americans, whereas a constrictive definition could result in the possible suffering of some Americans.

We should always keep this in mind when we debate these freedoms when trying to reach a balanced approach to implementing these Four Freedoms. Some of the issues to be considered within the Four Freedoms are:

Freedom Of Speech:

How far does free speech reach? Is it acceptable to call for the overthrow of a legitimate government (one which recognizes and protects these freedoms) or free speech that encourages rioting or violent acts against other peoples, religions, races, nationalities, or sexuality? Do you have the free speech right to libel or slander another person or persons, organizations, government agencies, politicians, or civil servants? How far does free speech extend to the arts and literature and during normal human interactions? Is offensive speech covered by free speech?

Freedom Of Worship:

What constitutes legitimate worship? Does the freedom of religion extend to religious cults, devil worshipers, animal worship, animal or human sacrifices, etc.? What if your worship requires you to subjugate non-believers or restrict the freedoms of non-believers in your society or government? This is essentially a question of what constitutes a legitimate religion that is protected under Freedom of Worship and the balance between religious freedoms and civil society.

Freedom From Want:

I want whatever food I desire, I want whatever shelter I desire, I want whatever clothing I desire, I want whatever automobile I desire, or I want whatever home appliances I desire (washer, dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, stove/oven, bathroom, radio, television, music player, video games, Cell Phone/Smart Phone, Internet Access, etc.), I want my doctor, hospital, medicines, and dentist bills paid, I want a free college education, I want a good-paying job, I want, I want, and I want others to pay for what I want.

versus

Sufficient food to alleviate hunger, Sufficient shelter to protect you from the environment. Sufficient clothing to protect you from the elements. Sufficient transportation to get you from one place to another. Sufficient appliances to alleviate drudgery (washer, dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, stove/oven, bathroom, cell phone?).

The question is, what are the sufficient basic needs that society should provide to all its peoples, versus what is outside the bounds of the basic needs? It is also a question of how much the government versus individuals and charities are to provide for these needs.

Freedom From Fear:

Fear of another nation attacking you (in either a hot, cold, or cyber manner). Fear of a terrorist action impacting you or your family, neighbors, or others. Fear of the criminal actions of others impacting you or your family. Fear of your own government or other actors oppressing your Liberties and Freedoms. These are all fears that we should not have to deal with. The question is what constitutes a reasonable fear versus an unreasonable fear, and how far can we go under human and constitutional rights to protect ourselves against these fears?

The Implications

All of this must be carefully considered to determine the boundaries of the Four Freedoms. In my opinion, the boundaries of the Four Freedoms must be set wide to preserve freedom and liberty, but not so wide that they would restrict others' freedoms and liberties. The two central issues of government efforts to institute these Four Freedoms are the role of government in these freedoms and the funding for government actions to institute these freedoms.

Too often, when government becomes involved in instituting these freedoms, it results in the enlargement of government by employing bureaucrats to administer the laws created to implement these freedoms. These bureaucrats create a host of rules and regulations that are intrusive on the Liberties and Freedoms of the people and which require that the people be subservient to the powers of the bureaucrats. Many times, these rules and regulations are applied inequitably and unequally with little recourse to challenge the actions of the bureaucrats. Such challenges often consume the time and monies of the challenger, especially if they seek judicial redress.

The Freedom of Speech and the Freedom of Worship are passive freedoms, as they simply require the government not to intrude on these freedoms. The Freedom of Fear is a normal function of government in the passage and enforcement of laws that protect the rights of individuals and having a military to protect against foreign nations or actors that would harm America and Americans.

Freedom from Want raises the issue is how to fund this freedom. A government does not create wealth but only taxes wealth to support the necessary and proper functions of government. If the government is to assure Freedom from Want by financing those in need, it must take in taxes sufficient monies to fund those in need. This taking of money from those that earned it by the fruits of their labors, and giving it to others that have not labored to earn this money, raises the predicament so eloquently put forth by one of our greatest Presidents:

“You work and toil and earn bread, and I'll eat it. No matter in what shape it comes, whether from the mouth of a king who seeks to bestride the people of his own nation and live by the fruit of their labor, or from one race of men as an apology for enslaving another race, it is the same tyrannical principle.”
- Abraham Lincoln

The taking of taxpayer monies from those that have earned these monies to give to those persons who have not earned these monies “is the same tyrannical principle.” It is also an affront to our American ideals of self-reliance and self-sufficiency in that it creates a class of citizens that are dependent on government largess. Government should not be involved in charity, but all Americans should be charitable to those in need. The best role of government to ensure the Freedom of Want is to foster a growing economy in which all Americans can find employment that would allow them to be self-reliant and self-sufficient. Only when there is a national economic emergency should the government become financially involved in the Freedom of Want, and government should withdraw these efforts when the national emergency ceases.

The Worse Violators

Given the above, I believe that it is possible to examine the human history of the past 2000 years using these criteria to determine which societies, governments, institutions, and religious beliefs have been the greatest violators of these freedoms. Prior to 2000 years ago, practically all forms of government and societies were violators of these freedoms and need not be dissected but only remembered. The worst violators of these freedoms in history in the last 2000 years in order are:

Communism

Communism has been responsible for more deaths and human misery than all the other violators of these freedoms combined. Communism may have killed over 110 million people, but it did this over a period of about 70 years, most notably in the Soviet Union, Red China, North Korea, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe. It is a scourge that should never be permitted to exist again in any form.

Nazism and Fascism

Nazism is a despicable form of government that was responsible for the deliberate deaths of millions of people in Europe and the violation of the freedoms of the people who lived under it. Fascism also resulted in many direct deaths of those who lived under it and resulted in the violation of these freedoms of the people who lived under it. Nazism and Fascism reigned from 1933 to 1945, and in it, about 26 million people were killed. Nazism and Fascism also plunged the world into a war that did result in millions more deaths, injuries, and suffering of civilians and combatants. The suffering of the people who lived under Nazism and Fascism was a violation of these freedoms that should not have been permitted nor permitted in the future.

Imperial Japan

Imperial Japan's actions in Asia resulted in millions of deaths of non-Japanese people and the subjugation of these freedoms of the Japanese people and other peoples in Asia. From the invasion of China in 1937 to the end of World War II, the Japanese military regime murdered from 3,000,000 to over 10,000,000 people, most probably almost 6,000,000 Chinese, Indonesians, Koreans, Filipinos, and Indochinese, among others, including Western prisoners of war. It also plunged the world into a war that resulted in millions of deaths to civilians and combatants.

Islam

Islam has a history of violating these freedoms. Indeed, many of the precepts of Islam (as interpreted by many Mullahs throughout history) are a violation of these freedoms as were now understood and interpret these freedoms. There are two periods in Islamic history where this was especially egregious: the Founding & the Modern. The founding of Islam resulted in many wars and the forced conversion or subjugation of non-Islam peoples. Hundreds of thousands of Islamic peoples and non-Islamic people lost their lives and their freedoms through these wars. Modern Radical Islam carries on this tradition and seeks to convert or subjugate Muslims who do not follow their precepts and to convert or subjugate non-Muslims through war or terrorism. All of this is a violation of these freedoms.

Christianity

Christianity had two periods in its history when there were egregious violations of these freedoms. These were the Crusades & Reformation eras. The Crusades were a reaction to Islam cutting off the Holy Land and the persecution of non-Muslims who entered the Holy Lands (a violation of these freedoms). The reaction of the Crusades was in excess and resulted in the violation of these freedoms of the Muslims and should be condemned. The Reformation resulted in wars and violent struggles between Catholics and Protestants, in which many tens of thousands of lives were lost and were a violation of these freedoms for both Catholics and Protestants.

Imperialism

Imperialism, as practiced by many European governments, was also a violation of these freedoms of those whom it colonized. Although some good occurred (mostly in removing these freedom abuses of the previous government or society), it still violated the freedoms of those subjugated under Imperial rule. As such, it should be condemned and not allowed in the future.

Socialism

Socialism, although rarely resulted in the direct deaths of its people (but many indirect deaths as a result of starvation and disease), is still a violation of these freedoms of its people. Socialism forcibly takes the results of the labors of its individuals and reallocates them to others in its society. It, in effect, makes its people serfs to the government, and serfdom is a violation of these freedoms. More on this topic can be seen here.

Slavery and Involuntary Servitude

Slavery and Involuntary Servitude has existed throughout human history in all parts of the world. Millions of people have died because of Slavery and Involuntary Servitude. Wherever and whenever it exists, it is a violation of these freedoms and needs to be put to an end. All people of goodwill should do what is required to end slavery and involuntary servitude, and all the practitioners of slavery or involuntary servitude should be brought to justice and punished for this crime against humanity.