 Isaiah Berlin distinguishes in his book Two Concepts of Liberty between negative liberty and positive liberty. Negative liberty describes the individual freedom from something, from external constraint, and from outside interference. It's the absence of obstacles within a society. Positive liberty means freedom to do something, to act upon one's will, to take control of one's life. It's the possession of the power to proceed regardless of structural limitations in society. Sounds confusing? The problems of two imaginary people illustrate this difference. This is Frank. He lives in Freeland with the two things he loves most, his kids and his weights. And then there is Lily. She lives in liberty, values justice above all, and dreams of becoming a judge. But both face lots of obstacles. To Frank, there is nothing more important than his health and his family. He gets up very early for his routines and then takes the children to school. He pays strict attention to his diet and his kids' education and looks down on people who neglect both. He doesn't like the authorities. In Freeland, they collect lots of taxes to fund the public healthcare system. Why pay the medical bills for those that don't care about their health, he wonders. Frank seeks freedom from these taxes. Frank loves to lift weights in front of his house once the kids are in bed. Yet, recently, Freeland prohibited working out in public after 10pm. For Frank, that's none of the government's business. He wants freedom from laws that restrict his recreational habits. And there is one more thing. Frank also doesn't like public schools. He thinks they are useless and would prefer to teach his kids at home. But in Freeland, homeschooling is illegal. Frank thinks that is outrageous and wants freedom from compulsory education. Eventually, he's had enough and moves to liberty where the taxes are lower, the government's smaller, and where he believes he's got greater freedom from external constraints. Liberty is already there and feels trapped. Lily recently tripped and broke her leg. Now, she needs surgery, but medical treatments are expensive in liberty. To pay for it, Lily has to take out a loan. She thinks the system is unfair and feels she doesn't have the freedom to receive decent affordable healthcare. And things get worse. After her surgery, Lily needs to rehabilitate and takes walks around the block. This is when she realizes that she hates the smoke from all the cars on the street. The smog she inhales is clearly dangerous. Lily finds she has no freedom to recover appropriately. This injustice reminds Lily day in and day out that she wants to become a judge. But since she's from a disadvantaged family, she can't afford the tuition fees of a university. And to take out another loan scares her. Eventually, she just feels frustrated and bitter. She thinks she has no freedom to pursue her dreams. Lily isn't happy in liberty and moves to Freeland with a stronger welfare state. A place where she has the power to act regardless of structural limitations in society. Supporters of negative liberty tend to sympathize with classical libertarian thoughts. They think of the state as a coercive force that limits individual freedom and prefer a small government with few taxes and regulations. Advocates of positive liberty tend to identify as social liberals. They usually want a big welfare state that ensures a fair redistribution of wealth and provides equal access to opportunities. What about you? Which kind of freedom do you want for yourself? And do you think Isaiah Berlin's theory, the two concepts of liberty, is right or wrong? Share your thoughts in the comments below. If you like how we explain complicated ideas in simple cartoon animation, you can support us. Visit patreon.com slash sprouts. Just visit us, learn how it works and what's in it for you. We hope to see you there. And if you are a parent or educator, check out our website, sproutschools.com. There you can find this and other video lessons, additional resources and classroom activities. If you found this helpful, check out our other videos and subscribe. If you want to support our work, join us on patreon.com slash sprouts. For more information and additional content, visit sproutschools.com.