Sander van Dijk wrote:
> To reitterate:
>
> MIT/BSD just make software free.
>
> GPL on the other hand is not just trying to make software free, but
> also to govern in what way the receiver can use it. Now this may or
> may not be morally right, but that's a discussion all in itself. What
> isn't a discussion is that it's a restriction of freedom.
>
> In some situations, a benevolent dictator may be better for the people
> than total freedom, perhaps even better than democracy. Regardless of
> the level of benevolence though, a benevolent dictator is still a
> dictator, no matter what way you put it.
Maybe the ultimate in _individual_ freedom is the absence of
restrictions, but that ignores other very important freedoms.
But by your reasoning, the form of government with the most freedom is
an anarchy. Personally, I much prefer democracy.
A society that does not outlaw murder maximizes individual freedom for
the murderer. But I doubt that the murder victim felt very free.
A system of laws is necessary to protect individual rights. Are they
sometimes restrictive to the indiviual? Yes. But they are necessary to
a truly free society.
Doug.
Received on Tue May 20 2008 - 21:28:56 UTC
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