Previous Next

Chapter 5 begins with “Just People.” It establishes solidarity as the fifth form of freedom—people working together to ensure freedom for others. “Testifying” explains that freedom of speech exists because speakers are protected and have the support of institutions. Truth always has a component of risk, and individual testimonies are often recorded by teams of people recording who then spread the information. “Civil Rights” explains that voting, as a procedure, is an act of solidarity. One must support equal voting rights for everyone else. “Civil Society” observes that countries dominated by one-party regimes lack meaningful voting. Such regimes try to isolate individuals and suppress solidarity. “Practical Politics” gives examples from eastern Europe, countries that transitioned from communism to democracy. Freedom was not always immediately attained, due to cultures of anti-politics that had existed under the oppressive regimes and some of the nations falling prey to belief in the politics of inevitability. People did not have faith that new government institutions could bring change.

“Bubble Men” states that escapism is the opposite of solidarity. Super-wealthy oligarchs like Trump, Putin, and Elon Musk use their wealth to secure a future insulated from the problems the world is facing. “Mortality” explains that wealthy individuals who are concerned with immortality are working against solidarity. Instead of trying to live forever, such individuals should pay their fair share of taxes and work to increase the lifespans of the common people around them. In “Venus,” Snyder points out the folly in oligarch escapism to other planets. Terraforming Mars will be much more difficult than solving the climate change issues on Earth. “Void” continues this idea, stating that fusion energy should be a larger priority (and will eventually lead to fusion rockets for space travel).

In “Subjects,” Snyder reiterates the need for positive freedom, more than for negative freedom, and he tries to dispel the idea that government assistance programs constitute interference in the economy that will lead to totalitarianism. Kindergarten and pension plans (Snyder’s examples) did not pave the way for Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union. “Objects” argues that freedom is too often sought for the economy instead of for people. Laws that strengthen the free market often take advantage of common people. “Hand” uses healthcare in the United States as an example for the previous chapter. The market is incentivized to generate profit, not to help people. The result is shorter lifespans and higher costs than in other comparable countries.

In “Efficiency,” Snyder gives several examples of how replacing why in the name of increased efficiency (and a reduction in solidarity). Moving production of American goods to China was done for increased efficiency, which China’s oppressive regime prioritizes. Efficiency was also a mark of Nazi and Soviet concentration camps. In “Libertarian Unfreedom,” Snyder states that Libertarianism goes against every form of freedom since it puts the free market ahead of free people and solidarity. “Oligarch Hypocrisy” and “Cyborg Politics” both further describe Libertarianism as a sham for the wealthy to sustain their wealth. While decrying government intervention, wealthy oligarchs have benefited from subsidies and technological developments funded by the government.

“Death Cult” explains that loyalty to the free market is treated like a religion, where anyone that opposes it is made to feel guilty. Logical dialogue about the dangers of the free market are not rationally received. “Notalitarians” explains that people who follow ideologies often focus on one value and disregard all other values. Where totalitarians have one truth that everyone should follow, notalitarians argue that there is no truth and their followers’ feelings matter most. “Lake and Forest” explains that totalitarians and notalitarians enable people to reject the values of others. Followers let the leaders and media tell them what is right. This is counter to freedom.

Previous section Chapter 4: Factuality Next section Conclusion: Government

Take a Study Break