Positive liberty

To explain his views on the individual’s position and liberty vis-á-vis the state, we may analyse his views on liberty and the role the State plays in the socio-economic field. Laski’s views on liberty and rights are somewhat linked. They seek to provide individuals the opportunities for securing their best selves. He defines rights as those conditions of social life without which no one can seek to be himself at his best. Similarly, liberty is eager maintenance of that atmosphere in which men have the opportunity to be their best selves. Liberty emerges from the provision of rights without which it is meaningless. Along with personal and political rights, he argues for socio-economic rights as well. As for a fuller development of the best selves, all conditions (rights) must be available. He also correlates rights with social welfare. He says one cannot have rights against social or public welfare as this would amount to having the right against welfare, which is also associated with my welfare. Thus, individual welfare and common welfare must be linked.

His idea of rights and liberty makes it clear that liberty is associated with the availability of conditions for the development of personality. Laski in his A Grammar of Politics, mentions that positive conditions are required for liberty and these conditions include: (i) absence of special privileges—quality for all; (ii) presence of rights—state should maintain equal rights; (iii) responsible government.⁵⁸ In this way, Laski champions positive liberty, where liberty is not based on non-interference; rather it is associated with the development of personality, based on provision of rights by the State.