Government action invariably means a loss of individual liberty Essay

Government action invariably means a loss of individual liberty - Essay Example Before the War on Terror caused by the September 11 attacks, there was the War on Poverty by Lyndon B. Johnson which justified Federal government action. But a minority view is that government action does not invariably lead to a loss of personal liberties as government actions are mostly on matters of national concern such as a faltering economy and the countrys physical security against terrorism. People living in a modern and civilized society do so under the social contract which calls for the setting up of government system to maintain order and security for its citizens. In return for this, all people agree to surrender some of their rights implicitly in which originally free individuals give up some of their natural rights in favor of the social system or a political organization and be bound by the common laws and conventions being adopted. It is the very essence of a democracy in which people allow themselves to be governed to some extent but this does not necessarily equate into a loss of individual liberties. On the contrary, people living in democratic societies enjoy more freedoms than they would otherwise experience in other forms of government. Only people with evil intentions such as terrorists and economic saboteurs have reason to fear government intervention in their lives because that is precisely why government was set up in the first place and its functions include the assurance to citizens of their safety and general economic well being. What most of the critics against increasing Federal government authority cite most often are the threats to personal freedoms in which government intrudes into personal lives. People who abide by the laws impliedly contained in the social contract therefore have nothing to fear. In other words, people can go on with their lives with remarkably little governmental