Abraham Lincoln: We all declare for liberty...
This quote from Abraham Lincoln does an excellent job of distilling the difference between “negative” and “positive” rights, and the implications of each:
We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word, we do not mean the same thing. With some the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men’s labor. Here are two, not only different, but incompatible things, called by the same name, liberty.
Nathan Griffith (with whom I attended junior high school in the mid-80s) brought this quote to my attention several years ago - and I’m very glad he did.
Originally published at Mudita Journal. Please leave any comments there.