It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once.

It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. It was a period of cold peace and proxy wars. The block politics was the reality of the time. The world order was shaped by two superpowers having nuclear weapons. Initially band wagoning for one country through NATO and then through Warsaw pact.

All the nations had two choices either to join right NATO or left Warsaw pact block. But an unusual thing happened in 1955 at Bandung when some post colonial countries decided not to get involved in the block politics. This gave rise to Non Aligned Movement under the leadership of the mother of democracy ie Bharat. This shows how it is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once. It has various sides and meanings, let us explore. So what do we mean by Liberty in the first place. As per some scholars like Locke, by virtue of being human, every individual has reason so to take decisions in life, the exercise of free choice is liberty. For some scholars like Amartya Sen not only ability to make free choice but capability to do so is Liberty. In totality liberty is the ability to make free choices to the best of our capabilities and knowledge to live a happy life. For example for some people liberty is to save and for some is to spend.

But here arises a question that can we exercise our liberty in totality always? Or there are instances when we loose this ability? In some cases when an individual is going through failures in his life and gets bogged down by sheer pessimism and ultimately surrender to destiny. For example instances of farmer suicides in India 12000 nos per year as per NCRB. But there are some people for whom all the choices are not lost at once, and they keep fighting, changing their destiny, carving on their own. For example Helen Keller, the first deaf blind of USA to get a degree lost her eyes and hearing ability when she was a child. Similarly in our society the vulnerable section like transgenders, women, SC ST community are being oppressed since the vedic times. For whom the liberty is lost since their birth. But however suppression this word becomes there are some who mend disaster on their own. For example women labour force participation has increased to 37.5 percent PLFS 2022 from 23 percent PLFS 2018. We have first transgender mayor and SC ST community participation is rising fast in higher education. Further for colonial countries when they were under imperial control like India, when the revolt of 1857 was suppressed brutally, it was thought that all options are exhausted now. Most of the princely states surrendered to the Queen in Delhi Durbar. But still it was not lost for the freedom fighters of Indian national movement. They made a choice and fought for their motherland to make India a free country by 1947.

Likewise in the present times also neocolonialism continues at institutions like WTO, WB and IMF. But for some liberty is not lost all at once and they voice their opinions for reform. For example G77 countries, L65 countries and G4 countries for reform of UN and multilateral institutions. But there are some cases in which liberty is lost all at once. If we talk about the present non conventional environmental crisis. The world has no other option than to adopt LiFE for environment, reduce emissions and follow Indian civilizational wisdom of Mata Bhumin Putroham Prithivyah ie earth is our mother and we are her sons. If we do not follow it the irreversible climate tipping point and 6th mass extinction is very close. On the similar lines if we talk about the domain of sovereignty. If a nation is being attacked by another sovereign for example Russia Ukraine War or by a non state actor Israel Hamas War the liberty is lost and retaliation in self defence is the only choice. Moving further to economic domain when an individual, organisation or a nation is feeling under crisis, then the liberty to have extravagant choices, non merit expenditure and consumerism is lost.

The only option left is frugality through course correction. If not followed then leading to bankruptcy, closure and formation of banana republics. For example Nirav Modi, Vijay Malya, Jet Airways and Pakistan respectively. Having looked at both the sides of having liberty always and loosing it in some exceptional circumstances, now let us understand how liberty should be exercised? For this we can utilize JS Mills Harm Principle ie exercising of your liberty to the limit that it does not constrain the choices of others. For example historical emissions of US 25 percent, EU 22 percent constraining developmental choices of present day prismatic societies developing societies. The other principle should be Immanuel Kants inviolability of the human dignity ie any of our choices should not demean the existence of the other. For example not treating women as the second sex. The synthesis of both of these ideas is seen in Mahatma Gandhi. For him the liberty was never lost totally. His ideas of Swaraj harm principle and Sarvodaya inviolability of human dignity led India to freedom along with the example of his life journey explaining that you always have a choice. For example withdrawal of Non Cooperation movement after Chauri Chaura. So how to understand this fine line and inculcate the value of prudence practicing wisdom to exercise liberty for the maximum benefit in all situations. For this early age child rearing practices and wholeschool approach is required. It should come with value inculcation through observation learning, role modelling, operant conditioning reward and punishment, nudging and continuous practice virtue. It will provide such wisdom that an individual will never be out of choices and exercise his free will to the maximum benefit of others as India did forming NAM. The statement of Kabir goes like Kabira khada bazaar mein sabki khair, na kachu se dosti, na kahu se bair. Person standing in the global wanting good of all without any ill will towards anyone.

For this we can utilize JS Mills Harm Principle ie exercising of your liberty to the limit that it does not constrain the choices of others. For example historical emissions of US 25 percent, EU 22 percent constraining developmental choices of present day prismatic societies developing societies. The other principle should be Immanuel Kants inviolability of the human dignity ie any of our choices should not demean the existence of the other. For example not treating women as the second sex. The synthesis of both of these ideas is seen in Mahatma Gandhi. For him the liberty was never lost totally.