Britain | Bagehot

Assisted dying and the two concepts of liberty

Isaiah Berlin would recognise the debate unfolding in Britain over the right to die

Sir Isaiah Berlin's head in a bird cage
Illustration: Nate Kitch

Sir Keir starmer was born in 1962 in a Britain that was still cloaked in an austere, suppressive fug. The lord chamberlain censored plays. Abortion was outlawed, and divorce permitted only rarely beyond cases of adultery. Gay sex was a criminal act. This world was largely swept away before the future prime minister started secondary school. Individual liberties triumphed over collective moral prohibitions. My rights beat your qualms.

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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Assisted dying and the two concepts of liberty”

From the November 23rd 2024 edition

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