ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to show the conceptual development of Constant’s dual account of liberty throughout The Liberty of the Ancients Compared with That of the Moderns. It shows that from start to finish, Constant’s analysis of liberty takes place in two contexts: political and non-political. The chapter argues that for Constant, enjoyment, satisfaction and the fulfilment of duty are interconnected, and the study of these is crucial in understanding the process which makes freedom complex and results in some liberty concepts. Constant’s discussion of modern liberty reveals an attempt to delineate a terrain free from the pressures of moral and civic duty. In the framework of Constant’s philosophy, modern liberty in its moral dimension remains incomplete. This is because it is difficult to articulate a clear boundary between modern and ancient liberties when it comes to explaining the process of moral development.
