Ian Birrell

What do we mean when we talk about freedom?

Timothy Snyder re-examines the distinction between negative liberty – the freedom from restraint and interference – and positive liberty – the freedom of action and self-determination

Timothy Snyder. Credit: Ine Gundersveen 
issue 12 October 2024

  • On Freedom

    Timothy Snyder

    Bodley Head, pp. 368, £25

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From the magazine
It is the great good fortune of Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to be united by a common language, and a misfortune of even greater magnitude that they share that language with the United States. America is a very different country to the four Commonwealth realms sometimes brigaded together under the ugly acronym ‘Canzuk’.

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