Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book demonstrates how the inadequacies of the negative conception of freedom carry us towards the 'hybrid view' and its defects opens the way towards the positive conception of freedom. It analyses how the negative view considers the relation between free action, free person and free society. The book focuses on Hegel's account of concrete freedom as opposed to the negative view and Kant's theory as two versions of abstract freedom. It discusses Kant's notion of rational self-determination, autonomy and their defence against Berlin's criticisms. The book argues that although communitarians have the merit of defending a socially embedded notion of the self and showing that autonomy is a socio-historical product rather than a universal value as the liberals suppose, their romantic portrayal of the community as based on shared values is problematic.