Important to distinguish between positive and negative freedom
Gina Gustavsson explains why it can actually be an act of freedom to prevent a friend from drinking a glass of wine. Photo: Daniel Olsson
What do we really mean when we talk about freedom? Do we mean freedom from coercion and obstruction or freedom to act in accordance with our innermost desires? Gina Gustavsson, researcher in political science, talks about the difference between positive and negative freedom.
In this film, Gina Gustavsson explains why it can actually be an act of freedom to prevent a friend from drinking a glass of wine. She also discusses the different ways in which the word freedom can be interpreted in politics, for example during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.
“Freedom is a popular, almost seductive concept, so it’s possible to push almost anything through if you say it’s a matter of liberation, freedom and emancipation. This being so, it can be a very good thing as a member of society to apply a little critical thinking,” Gustavsson says. “What type of freedom is involved here?”