Liberty
Topic: Preamble and the Philosophy of the Constitution · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 10 "The Constitution of India: An Introduction"
Meaning
Liberty in the Preamble means liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. Simply put, there should be no unreasonable limits on what people think, say and do. It rests mainly on the Fundamental Rights in Arts. 19-22 (freedoms and personal liberty) and Arts. 25-28 (freedom of religion). Indians fought for these freedoms long before 1950. Rammohan Roy protested against press curbs, and the national movement opposed the Rowlatt Act of 1919, which allowed detention without trial.
Example
Art. 19(1)(a) protects free speech. Under Art. 19(2), the state may still put reasonable limits on speech, for example to protect public order.
Don't confuse with
- Licence: liberty is not the freedom to do anything at all. Art. 19(2)-(6) allows reasonable restrictions.
Related concepts
- Social, economic and political justice
- Equality of status and of opportunity
- Liberty, equality and fraternity