ABSTRACT
The republican tradition can be associated with a distinctive theory of freedom as non-domination or the absence of mastery. This chapter starts by showing how freedom so defined sees slavery and absolute monarchy as inherently dominating since they involve an inequality of personal power that allows an agent to arbitrarily influence the choices of another. It then explores how freedom as non-domination derives from a given civic condition – that of a free state – that provides citizens with equal influence and control over those who govern them in ways that guard against arbitrary rule. As such it involves a form of democratic constitutionalism. Moreover, since states may be able to dominate and be dominated by other states, a free state must be part of an association of democratic states the members of which must regulate their interactions in mutually acceptable ways. Finally, non-domination is shown to entail forms of collective ownership and workers democracy to ensure the private governance of firms and the market avoids giving those possessing capital goods and assets used in the production of goods and services arbitrary power over those without them.
