"liberty and equality are related to …

The two different views are examined below:

(i)Liberty and equality are opposed to each other : There is a view point that both liberty and equality are opposed to each other and they cannot go side-by-side. The main advocates of this view point are De Tocqueviflle and Lord Acton. According to Lord Acton, “The passion for equality has made vain the hope for liberty.” Equality curtails individual liberty. If everybody is considered equal in the eyes of law and equality is established in economic sphere than liberty will be curtailed. Nobody will have the liberty to earn money according to his own sweet will. If equality is established then the intelligent and hard working people will not be able to develop their personality to the full. People are of the opinion that nature has not created all the people equal. So liberty and equality cannot go side-by-side.

(ii) Liberty and equality are related to each other : In the modern age, most of the thinkers do not accept the view point that liberty and equality are closely related to each other. It is said that liberty in the absence of equality is meaningless. Prof. Laski, Prof. Towny Pollard and Maclver are the thinkers who support this view point. In fact, the liberty does not mean the same work and equal wages for all the people.