Freedom is a vital concept in human development.
It is applied in various fields:
- International development: Note the book Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen, and the related concepts of participation and empowerment.
- Information technology: Software freedom is crucial to allowing control and choice in the software we use, and freedom from control by those who provide software.
- Open hardware - similar to the concept of software freedom, above.
- Economics: The freedom to act in one's own self-interest is an important one in many economic theories, including the most influential ones today. However, it seems this leads to major problems if left unchecked and unguided. (Choice architecture offers ways of aiding more intelligent and positive decisions without enforcing them or impinging on personal freedom.)
- Politics - e.g. the "Four Freedoms"W were goals articulated by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt:
- Freedom of speech and expression
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom from want
- Freedom from fear