ABSTRACT
The libertarian notion of liberation suggests an opposition between the 'true' self of each individual and the demands of the social order. It insists that only by repudiating formal definitions of social obligations, and the conventional expectations of others, can individuals be truly free. The self is not necessarily at odds with its social role; this fragmentation of the individual is a product of particular social conditions. Only true freedom can permit reintegration and allow the development of a meaningful awareness of others' needs. The libertarian tradition stems from the writings of political philosophers who saw definitions of social obligation as serving the ends of the ruling class, and as supporting an unequal distribution of power and wealth in society. Their primary concern was with political obligation–the relationship between the individual and the state–rather than with personal obligations between individuals; but they traced the fundamental evil of both to the same source, the ownership of property.
