Freedom in the republican tradition means non-domination rather than merely non-interference
Evidence
This discussion of the liberty-servitude theme in the republican tradition should serve to support the claim that freedom is conceived of there as non-domination, not as non-interference. For it is a commonplace of the tradition that masters may be kindly and may not actually interfere with their slaves. Algernon Sydney (1990: 441) could write, for example, in the late 1600s that ‘he is a slave who serves the best and gentlest man in the world, as well as he who serves the worst’. And Richard Price (1991: 77-8) could add in the century following: ‘Individuals in private life, while held under the power of masters, cannot be denominated free, however equitably and kindly they may be treated.’ But if even the slave of a kindly master—the slave who suffers no interference—is unfree, then freedom must require the absence of domination, not just the absence of interference. — Philip Pettit, Republicanism, 186
Categorization
- DEFINE: Defines the core republican conceptual move: unfreedom can exist without observable interference.
- XREF: connects to: Freedom as nondomination yields radical policies and democracy through contestability rather than consent — Philip Pettit, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and…, 35; Civic republicans define freedom as non-domination, not mere non-interference — Philip Pettit, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and…, 68; Republicanism offers a third way of understanding freedom beyond liberal and populist models — Philip Pettit, Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and…, 107 (+10 more)
Broader Connections
- Republican freedom means absence of dependence on arbitrary power, not non-interference.
#corroborates(1.00) — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 18 - Republicans hold liberty as non-domination while liberals define it as mere non-interference.
#corroborates(0.95) — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 46 - Republican freedom depends on laws that constrain power without creating new domination
#expands(0.85) — Philip Pettit, Republicanism, 196 - In republican theory, law itself creates freedom rather than merely restricting it
#expands(0.85) — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 53 - On the republican view, non-arbitrary laws do not reduce freedom but can enhance it.
#expands(0.85) — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 47 - Republican freedom can relate to noninterference in various distinct ways.
#qualifies(0.80) — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 29 - Political freedom is constituted by institutions, not by the absence of actual interference
#expands(0.80) — Frank Lovett, Republicanism, 22