Spirit of the people

The economist David Hume recorded an awareness of freedom which is related to but not identical with the actual legal liberties enjoyed in a particular state. The latter might include freedom of thought, inclination and speech, freedom from oppression, a stable and competent administration preventing or inhibiting religious intolerance, strife and civil war; these might nurture and encourage an independent spirit, but once there it becomes very tenacious even if legal freedoms are crushed by a dictator. Conversely, it must rise spontaneously from among the people and cannot be imposed. Hume indicated that the independent spirit is encouraged by education of public opinion, free press, tolerance and participation in decisions on political activity. However, as demonstrated by many XXth century examples, independence of spirit can arise in astonishing places - concentration camps, repressive political and military dictatorships, among political hostages - in situations of great physical and spiritual stress. One possible factor is a deep and convinced religious or philosophical conviction of at least some members of the group, this being the determining factor in many stories told of Nazi and Japanese concentration camps.