Freedom from fear is an intrinsic value of any democratic society. It consists of a person’s ability to feel physically, economically, or socially secure. Protecting freedom from fear has been the responsibility of the head of state and various political institutions for many years. The public has heard many statements about ensuring that citizens feel secure in their lives against external threats. Different politicians have viewed this need from different angles and suggested various ways and strategies to protect the right to feel safe. Nevertheless, the general perception of freedom from fear has remained unchanged over the centuries.
Although the entire history of humankind has been permeated by attempts to manipulate mass fear, civilized society has sought to rid itself of it throughout its existence. Regardless of the specific historical period, the actions of individuals dictated by fear always have destructive consequences for society. The masses are ruled through fear, but the masses themselves are ruled through fear (Biškup Mašanović, 2020). The view affirms the necessity of proclaiming freedom from fear as essential for developing a democratic society. This point was first made in 1941 by Franklin D. Roosevelt in an address later called “Four Freedoms Speech.” He speaks about the need to guarantee the safety of people from any manifestation of armed aggression by states. In this text, fear is considered in the classical sense, corresponding to the interpretation of psychology, that is, as a manifestation of acute anxiety for the inviolability of one’s life (Roosevelt, 1941). From this point of view, the possibility of developing all spheres of a democratic society is severely limited as long as the instinct of self-preservation dictates people’s motives.
One can compare Roosevelt’s theses with Barack Obama’s speech to determine whether the interpretation of freedom from fear in political thought has changed over time. He delivered it in 2012 to David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In his remarks, Obama viewed freedom from fear in the context of armed conflict and terrorism (2022). Formally, the idea of it as a threat to citizens’ sense of security is new. However, it follows from the language of this speech that the American leader’s general idea of freedom from fear is no different from what it was more than half a century ago.
While the world has changed considerably in terms of technical and social development, armed attacks are now a serious factor provoking fears for citizens for their lives, as in World War II. The methods and mechanisms of aggression have changed significantly, so today, countries’ leaders need to talk about protecting the population from external attacks and terrorism. Nevertheless, the mechanism of generating fear in the mass consciousness remains unchanged and is based on the awakening of aggravated anxiety of the individual for his physical safety. According to psychologists and political scientists of the 20th century and contemporary researchers, this feeling is dangerous because it suppresses individual subjectivity and freedom of action (Biškup Mašanović, 2020). From this logic, the fear distorts the perception of reality and deprives the ability to develop and learn about the world, and, at any historical stage, people should be guaranteed the physical insecurity.
The guarantee of physical safety as a fundamental right of every person has been interpreted in the same way throughout the years. American leaders’ speeches and diverse studies from different historical periods confirm the universality of the views on freedom from fear. Thus, regardless of the geopolitical situation in the world and the specific situation in a particular country, the political institutions must guarantee the awareness of inviolability to ensure all other natural human rights and freedoms.
References
Barack Obama welcomes David Cameron to the White House. (n.d.). Web.
Biškup Mašanović, L. (2020). The politics of fear: Causes and consequences.Der Donauraum, 60(2), 11–20. Web.
Roosevelt, F. D. (1941). The Four Freedoms. Web.