John Singleton with Bob HowardRip Van Australia (Stanmore: Cassell Australia, 1977), pp. 99-101, under the heading “Freedom”.

I’m the one that’s got to die, when it’s time for me to die — so let me live my life — the way I want to. ~ JIMI HENDRIX

What do you suppose will satisfy the soul, except to walk free and own no superior? ~ WALT WHITMAN

Freedom means doing what you like, so long as you don’t interfere with the freedom of others. The result is self-discipline. ~ A.S. NEILL

Hurt no man. Then do as you please. ~ LEGEND: KING PAUSOLE

The concept of freedom comes out of the concept of equal rights for all people. If all people have an equal right to freedom, then it follows that no person has the right to impose on another’s freedom. This is not a qualification of the right to freedom — it is an implication of it. Anyone who disagrees with this can only opt for a system of unequal rights (that is, privileges) or none at all (that is, the rule of brute force).

It should be obvious that the only way to maximise the freedom of all people is to accept the concept of equal rights. The concept of equal rights defines freedom and also sets strict limits to it. It will be argued that this is a contradiction in terms — that freedom means having no limits. Such a concept, however, is impossible. Nature itself imposes limits — we have to eat, drink, breathe, sleep. Living sets its own limits.

If you lived alone on a desert island, you would not be limited by a concern for others, but you would still be limited by nature. When we live together in a society, we can only hope to maximise our freedom, not extend it indefinitely.

It is our contention that the concept of equal rights for all, and specifically the concept of equal freedom for all (with its implication that no man can then impose on another’s freedom), is the way to maximise freedom for all people in a social context.

There will be many who will argue that people would not be able to handle real freedom. And indeed it is natural that when we are deprived of something we want for a long time, we will over-react when we finally do get it. For example, the reaction of a man who has almost died of thirst will be to drink the entire keg in his refrigerator; the over-reaction of people on hearing the news about the end of World Wars I and II; the over-reaction of the Swedish people to the lifting of all censorship restrictions in their country relating to pornography. Given enough time, however, this over-reaction passes.

We should realise, though, that what the final result will be, will depend to a large extent on the severity, the particular form, and the time of the original deprivation. Freedom should not be blamed for the over-reaction. It is the original deprivation that is to blame.

An enormous number of people find such things as spontaneity, eccentricity, non-conformity, and emotionalism, extremely threatening. They all represent a lack of control, and as such cannot be tolerated. It is this thinking that leads to an emphasis on “good, old-fashioned discipline” in schools, crack downs on hippies and other non-conformists in society, and fascism in governments. Parents and teachers dominate and control children; men dominate women; women dominate men; bosses dominate employees; public servants dominate helpless citizens; politicians dominate the people — everywhere we see people struggling for control, power, domination. No wonder young people in particular are being driven to opting out, or open rebellion.

As has been stated repeatedly throughout this book, we believe that the answers to all our problems are to be found in the application of the real principles of freedom. This means not only freedom from the State, but also freedom from domination in the family, the school and our work. We need to consider not only the material and physical aspects of freedom, but perhaps most importantly, the psychological aspects. The entire future of our civilisation depends on more people getting a better understanding of the issue of freedom, of its consequences, and its requirements. Which doesn’t say much for our future.