The Liberty of the Ancients Compared with That of the Moderns

What are the two kinds of liberty Benjamin Constant distinguishes?

ancient liberty (collective political participation) and modern liberty (indvidiaul rights and independence (p. 308)

How is ancient liberty defined?

The freedom to participate directly in collective decision making - citizens vote, debate, and rule, but private life is strictly controlled by state (pp. 310 - 312)

How is modern liberty defined? 

The freedom to act under the law, enjoy personal independence, own property, express opinion, and be protected from arbitrary power (pp. 309-310)

What is the key difference between ancient and modern liberty?

Ancient liberty focuses on collective sovereignty but no private freedom 

Modern liberty = private independence but limited public participation (pp. 312-315)

Why can modern citizens not live like the ancients?

Modern states are large, commercial, and complex — direct democracy is impossible; representation is necessary (pp. 315-318)

How did slavery shape ancient liberty?

Slavery freed citizens’ time politics; modern equality and work make constant civic participation impossible. (pp. 316-317)

Why did French revolutionaries fail, according to Constant?

They tried to apply ancient ideals of civic virtue and direct democracy to a modern commercial society — leading to violence despotism (pp. 318-320)

What is the role of representative government in modern liberty?

it allows citizens to delegate authority to representatives while retaining civil liberty and oversight (pp. 320-322)

How does commerce protect modern liberty?

It promotes peace, interdependence, and decentralization of power; governments depend on public confidence and cannot easily act despotically (pp. 323-325)

What does modern governments do to preserve liberty?

Protect individual independence, encourage civic education, and uphold institutional checks on power (pp. 325-327)

How can ancient and modern liberty be reconciled?

By combining civic participation (ancient virtue) with personal independence (modern rights) (pp. 328-329)

What is constant’s final message about liberty?

True freedom requires both active citizenship and secure individual rights — “ We must have liberty, and we shall have it” (p. 329)