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What makes a society free? What does it mean for an individual to be free—free to pursue his rights to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness? Just how free are we in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”? And most importantly, what must we now do to achieve the type of free society that our Founding Fathers envisioned? What did they miss that we must now fight for?
In a free society the government’s role is crucial but delimited: the government possesses only those powers delegated to it and necessary for the protection of each citizen’s individual rights against force and fraud. So long as men are voluntarily dealing with one another when they can reach agreement and going their separate ways when they cannot (i.e., exercising their individual rights), the state has no role to play in the affairs of men.
Consider these questions: In a free society, should there be:
- regulations imposed on businesses in addition to objective criminal and civil laws?
- a public education system implementing state-influenced curricula and teaching methods?
- restrictions on free speech in the name of not offending others?
- an ability for the government to seize real estate in the name of eminent domain?
- a central banking system that holds a monopoly over the supply of money?
Explore these pages to learn: Ayn Rand’s answers to these and many other questions. Learn more about the principles necessary for a truly free society.
A free society requires a limited government
that enacts and enforces objective laws
for the sole purpose of protecting individual rights