Abstract

THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM CAN BE A USEFUL FRAMEWORK FOR A\nCOMPARATIVE STUDY OF CIVILIZATIONS. ASSUMING THAT FREEDOM\nIS NOT AN ABSOLUTE CONDITION, BUT MOVES IN A SPECTRUM\nBETWEEN OSSIFIED FORMS AND TOTAL ANARCHY, THE ACTUAL\nPRACTICE OF FREEDOM VARIES FROM CULTURE TO CULTURE.\nMOREOVER, THE NOTION OF FREEDOM IS RELATED TO RESTRICTIVE\nNORMS - SUCH AS LAW, MORALS, AESTHETICS, CUSTOM, VOGUE. IN\nRESPECT OF EACH SUCH NORM THE DEGREE OF FREEDOM MAY VARY.\nTHUS, THE PROFILE OF FREEDOM OF A SOCIETY MAY BE STUDIED BY\nCOMPARING ITS DEGREE IN RESPECT OF DIVERSE NORMS, AS WELL\nAS BY MAKING CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISONS