Civil liberties

Civil liberties are guarantees and freedoms that governments commit not to abridge, either by <a href="/facts/Constitution/GppU7erf">constitution</a>, <a href="/facts/Legislation/yUjkPsgX">legislation</a>, or <a href="/facts/Judicial_interpretation/x2llWRS9">judicial interpretation</a>, without <a href="/facts/Due_process/cbKduKzM">due process</a>. Though the scope of the term differs between countries, civil liberties often include the <a href="/facts/Freedom_of_thought/3fUStDu9">freedom of conscience</a>, <a href="/facts/Freedom_of_the_press/9RLTKfod">freedom of press</a>, <a href="/facts/Freedom_of_religion/ERtoqLEE">freedom of religion</a>, <a href="/facts/Freedom_of_speech/jYakwGMP">freedom of expression</a>, <a href="/facts/Freedom_of_assembly/zDxVFral">freedom of assembly</a>, the right to security and <a href="/facts/Liberty/fHvkBVSv">liberty</a>, <a href="/facts/Freedom_of_speech/jYakwGMP">freedom of speech</a>, the <a href="/facts/Right_to_privacy/q9jY2KWz">right to privacy</a>, the right to <a href="/facts/Equality_before_the_law/cEe7W4rc">equal treatment under the law</a> and due process, the <a href="/facts/Right_to_a_fair_trial/UguaUXCr">right to a fair trial</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Right_to_life/Shm0n90m">right to life</a>. Other civil liberties include the <a href="/facts/Right_to_property/sF4Wc7g7">right to own property</a>, the <a href="/facts/Self-defense/lNmW2ehC">right to defend oneself</a>, and the right to <a href="/facts/Bodily_integrity/7U4H3bSs">bodily integrity</a>. Within the distinctions between civil liberties and other types of liberty, distinctions exist between <a href="/facts/Positive_liberty/E60GQ3wV">positive liberty</a>/<a href="/facts/Negative_and_positive_rights/1szQ4wCG">positive rights</a> and <a href="/facts/Negative_liberty/fHjYaWW1">negative liberty</a>/<a href="/facts/Negative_and_positive_rights/1szQ4wCG">negative rights</a>.
<a href="/facts/Libertarianism_in_the_United_States/rpdKURre">Libertarians</a> advocate for the negative liberty aspect of civil liberties, emphasizing <a href="/facts/Small-government/queYkgsa">minimal government intervention</a> in both personal and economic affairs. Influential advocates of this interpretation include <a href="/facts/John_Stuart_Mill/0QxUR9l7">John Stuart Mill</a>, whose work <a href="/facts/On_Liberty/Wk4TamXH">On Liberty</a> argues for the protection of individual freedoms from government encroachment, and <a href="/facts/Friedrich_Hayek/sRqJlzrY">Friedrich Hayek</a>, whose <a href="/facts/The_Road_to_Serfdom/rvrR6MvX">The Road to Serfdom</a> warns against the dangers of expanding state power. <a href="/facts/Ayn_Rand/MjuSIIng">Ayn Rand's</a> <a href="/facts/Atlas_Shrugged/KktfKfYk">Atlas Shrugged</a> and <a href="/facts/Ron_Paul/Dvr5S0KP">Ron Paul's</a> <a href="/facts/The_Revolution%3a_A_Manifesto/R6j3Ms6d">The Revolution: A Manifesto</a> further emphasize the importance of safeguarding personal autonomy and limiting government authority. These contributions have played a significant role in shaping the discourse on civil liberties and the appropriate scope of government.

Civil liberties open-in-new

Civil liberties