The Four Freedoms
Isn't it amazing how a simple set of rules can expand into something so much more complex? Jewish law began with ten commandments and exploded into volumes of legal treatises. In a similar way, our modern notions of human rights can be traced back not to an encyclopedia of dictates, but to four simple precepts.
On January 6, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave his State of the Union Address to Congress. At the end of the speech, he outlined what would become known as the Four Freedoms, the four basic elements of freedom that all humans in the world ought to have access to. It may not sound like much, but these freedoms set the basis for a whole new definition of human rights.
Content and Analysis
FDR's speech in January of 1941 was meant to convince the American people that the nation needed to increase support to Great Britain. FDR ended strict neutrality, but he wanted it clear as to the reasons why. The USA, which he presented as still unique and different from European empires, would not become involved in an international conflict for territorial gain or conquest. American involvement was based on the defense of freedom against absolute oppression in the form of fascism.
''In the future day, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms,'' Roosevelt said in his speech. He elaborated that these essential freedoms included:
''The freedom of speech and expression - everywhere in the world''
''The freedom of every person to worship God in his own way - everywhere in the world''
''The freedom from want. . . economic understandings, which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants - everywhere in the world''
''The freedom from fear. . . a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point. . . that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor - anywhere in the world''
Those are Roosevelt's Four Freedoms: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear. This was a big deal. FDR didn't just come out and say that Americans should have these freedoms. Americans already expected these freedoms. What FDR announced was that Americans had a moral and ideological responsibility to protect these freedoms. . . everywhere.
