Freedom from fear
Topic: Political Theory: Freedom and Rights · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "Freedom"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Rights"
Meaning
Freedom from fear is Aung San Suu Kyi's idea, from her 1991 book, that real freedom means living without fear. That includes fear of authority, of one's community, of peers and of ridicule. If fear stops people from speaking or acting, laws on paper do not make them free. The UDHR Preamble also names freedom from fear and want as a central human aim.
Example
Inspired by Gandhi's non-violence, Suu Kyi was held under house arrest and could not visit her dying husband. Even so, she said that fear, not prison, is the real chain on freedom. She later served as State Counsellor (2016-21) and was detained again after the February 2021 coup. Her record on the Rohingya is debated.
Don't confuse with
- Freedom from want: this means freedom from poverty and hunger. The UDHR names the two together, but freedom from fear is about threats and intimidation, not material need.