Question 42 from UPSC CSE 2019 - Polity & Governance

Question

In the context of polity, which one of the following would you accept as the most appropriate definition of liberty?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Opportunity to develop oneself fully

Strategy: To pinpoint the best definition, focus on subtle distinctions. Options B and C are extreme—'absence of restraints' and 'whatever one likes' suggest lawlessness, not liberty as constitutionalists intend. Option A is too narrow; liberty isn't just a shield against rulers. Option D best reflects the positive, expansive idea: liberty as the chance to develop oneself fully, aligning with the constitutional and philosophical understanding.

Key Info: Liberty, as articulated in the Preamble to the Constitution of India, refers to the condition in which individuals have the freedom to think, express, believe, and act within the framework of law and reasonable restrictions. Fundamental Rights (Articles 19-22) safeguard aspects of liberty including speech, association, movement, and personal liberty, but always within reasonable social and legal constraints. Philosophically, liberty is not unlimited license but the positive opportunity for self-development and fulfillment while respecting others' rights and public order. This aligns with the views of political philosophers like John Stuart Mill, who emphasized 'liberty as the freedom to pursue one's own good in one's own way, as long as it does not harm others'. The Supreme Court of India has interpreted 'liberty' broadly, linking it with dignity and self-actualization, thus resonating most closely with the idea of 'opportunity to develop oneself fully'. Protection against the tyranny of rulers, absence of all restraints, and unlimited license are all either partial or misconceived definitions within the modern rule-of-law democracy.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: Protection against the tyranny of political rulers

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: Absence of restraints

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Opportunity to do whatever one likes