This post is in response to the question "Do you think that true freedom can't be found in a socialist society?" posed by @mnkeitz
Freedom is something that America has stood behind for decades, and it the first word that comes to mind for many citizens and foreigners when describing America. One of the ways freedom is shown in America is the free market system that America employs, letting the open market control the production of goods and letting citizens control the demand. Many people will first bring up the constitution when discussing why America has freedom, but often forget about our free economy. I would argue that the right to a free market economy makes a person just as free as anything else America has to offer. Yes, true freedom cannot be found in a socialist country due to the lack of a free market economy.
In order to explain my answer to the question I think it is important to define freedom. Oxford Dictionary gives the definition of freedom as “the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.” I think in this case, the key word to look at is “act”. In a socialist society, the ability to act financially is extremely hindered. A man or woman cannot make it to the top through hard work and perseverance because in a socialist economy, those are not the things that get you to the top. Everyone is somewhat equal in their earnings, no matter the work ethic of the individual. When you look at a country like Venezuela, with all of their citizens living in poverty under the socialist rule, are those citizens free? The law may say they are, but without engaging in drug trade or illegal activities, it is nearly impossible for them to be wealthy. There is no freedom to succeed financially in socialist countries, which leads me to believe that true freedom cant be found either.