Since I've been in China, I've been thinking about the concept of freedom a lot. It's the sine qua non of our days, extolled from the USA (and other Western countries, albeit to a lesser extent) as though it were something measurable and tangible, something concrete, whereas it's as indeterminable and context-bound as other abstract values such as democracy and justice and ethics.
(Before I start, I know that China is an authoritarian, one-party state. But from living here I have come to find that the ordinary citizen has freedom in their day-to-day life which the Western citizen does not.)
So what is "freedom" for someone in the UK?
(Before I start, I know that China is an authoritarian, one-party state. But from living here I have come to find that the ordinary citizen has freedom in their day-to-day life which the Western citizen does not.)
So what is "freedom" for someone in the UK?
- Freedom to shop at Tesco
- Freedom to get drunk.
- Freedom to be educated to age 18.
- Freedom to use nationalised hospitals.
- Freedom to drive, not to cycle.
- Freedom to vote or not; to vote for fascist parties or not.
- Freedom to surf any part of the internet, unless you are at work or school.
- Freedom to retire, on a state pension.
- Freedom to protest, except when politicians are nearby.
- Freedom to choose from 200 TV channels.
- Freedom to shop from high-street shops which are the same in every high street.
- Freedom to have sex, unless you can't find anyone, in which case it's your fault.
- Freedom to watch football.
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