Freedom requires reason
How has the definition of freedom changed in the past 2,000 years, and why?
The definition, itself, likely does not change.
I think what changes is the tolerance people have to others making decisions for them. That tolerance ebbs and flows.
At first, individuals conclude, hey this person seems to know something and my participation on this subject or question requires so much work, I’ll let them decide. Most people do this. Then one day, you are not allowed to make that decision, even if that is your preference. The deciders now claim you can’t be trusted with the decision. I say they are always wrong.
The loss of freedom “flows” away from them until the people, en masse, resist … if they can. Often times, power is purposely consolidated before the people “wake up”. Maybe individual freedom can be recovered. But people, themselves, have likely lost some confidence in their ability to think for themselves.
That’s why this quoted sentence represents such great danger: “I’m From The Government And I’m Here To Help”. It is disempowering. It is anti-thinking and problem solving. It is wrong.
Learn to think, and think for yourselves. Your (our) freedom depends upon it.
