According to Herbert Croly, what aspect of liberty is emphasized in his version of positive liberty?

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Herbert Croly's concept of positive liberty emphasizes the idea of collective action for the public good. In Croly's view, true freedom is not merely the absence of restraint or interference (which is typically associated with negative freedom), but rather the ability of individuals to achieve their full potential within a society that promotes common goals. He believed that individuals could not be truly free unless they participated in and contributed to the welfare of the community as a whole.

This notion of positive liberty highlights the responsibility of citizens to engage in collective efforts that aim to improve social conditions, thus fostering a community where individuals can thrive together. Croly’s perspective encourages looking beyond personal autonomy to understand liberty as a collective endeavor, where each person's freedom is interconnected with the freedom of others. This vision contrasts significantly with individual encapsulation, where the focus would be solely on the individual, or delegation of freedom to elites, which could imply a withdrawal from active participation in societal welfare.

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