Assisted dying and the two concepts of liberty
Isaiah Berlin would recognise the debate unfolding in Britain over the right to die
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”
Britain November 23rd 2024
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