Writes Konstantinos Konstantinidis Amphiktyon
When a person acquires Freedom, he soon considers it a given good and begins to fight feverishly for Equality. These ideas are in reality in contradiction. According to Euripides, the Greeks were in favor of Freedom: “Our city is free, it is not in anyone’s hands, the people are sovereign, it gives the authority to citizens for a year, there are no privileges for the rich, the poor have the same rights.” But the historian Thucydides and the philosopher Aristotle say: “Wealth is a factor of individual and collective well-being but also a threat to political freedoms and the stability of society as a whole. Material poverty in individuals and states is not tolerated in the life of man and social groups. “People have a tendency to demand Equality and Freedom. Two goods that often conflict with each other and are in antinomy. The French politician Alexis de Tocqueville accurately describes the American society of 1835-1840 in his book “De la Democracy” and especially the problem of Equality and Freedom, which today is presented with greater sharpness and rivalry in all societies. Is it possible for people to place the small “benefit” from Equality above the good of Freedom? To accept even slavery if they are going to buy Equality. And is Equality conceivable without Freedom? [The experiment that took place in the Soviet Union was not anticipated by de Tocqueville. Equality eventually degenerated and everyone lived in a regime of inequality and slavery. What else could the luxurious life, the travels, the special privileges, the “beryoshkas” of the nomenklatura mean on the one hand and on the other the empty department stores even for basic food items and the huge queues for those of the people and the famine of the farmers? Despite all this, the “party of the people” and the fragments of the Left here are progressing and the dead are rising] But also in his book: “Equality and Liberty” de Tocqueville writes: “In man there is the first and most intense passion for Equality and this conquers more and more souls with time. He now considers freedom a given and longs for the acquisition of Equality. But in order to achieve it, he is obliged and accepts to sacrifice a part of his Freedom” [What else can the “socialist regimes” that support thousands of unemployed, low-wage workers, illegal immigrants, etc. mean at the expense of convenient “idiots”, taxpayers? The dominant passion in our time is the Equality of living conditions. For the problems of everyday life, everyone complains and few about the deprivation of freedom. The household basket and the needs of living do not want an exception for rich or poor. It must fill the necessary. All citizens desire to enjoy equal rights, equal living conditions, equal participation in the goods of collective life.] Equality, when imposed, writes De la Democracy, is not easily destroyed. “The social situation must be modified, laws must be abolished, thought must be silenced, habits must change, and morals must be corrupted.” On the contrary, political Freedom is lost more easily, even without a coup, if it is not guarded.” According to Tocqueville, the gradual development of Equality in America is theocratic and is due to… “Divine Providence.” Does the author fear the prospect of what will lead to this trend that is constantly advancing in America? [Prophetic speech of almost two centuries ago. The trend of Equality today flattens democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, free will, information, even science, logic, and the physiology of the person who accepts the “woke” agenda. Everything is subordinated to “political correctness” and not to the Truth] The democratic revolution in America took place within the social whole without that parallel change in laws, ideas, morals and customs that would be necessary to make such a revolution beneficial. Thus we have a democracy without having anything that reduces its defects and highlights its natural advantages. And the author concludes: “The problem of Equality and Freedom within the concept of democracy is a radical and insurmountable antinomy. But people give priority to Equality without hesitation” [We see this clearly in our days where we come to terms with all the changes that the authoritarian regime deprives us of with minimal complaint, as long as they do not deprive us of equality in living standards. Because Equality pays little but clearly, while Freedom pays richly but long-term bonds that only a few appreciate their value, intellectual people and “idealists”] (6/10/25)
*Amphiktyon Major General Konstantinos Konstantinidis
Writer, Member of the Society of Greek Writers
http://amphiktyon.blogspot.com/ https://amphiktyon.org