The 10 Principles of Freedom

In order for a people or civilization to truly be free, they must be willing to abide by the 10 Principles of Freedom:

Law, Rights, Morality, Sovereignty, Prudence, Family, Civility, Justice, Charity, and Diligence.

1. Law (Natural Law): Not the whim of Man. Natural Law is the law written into the hearts and minds of just and reasonable men from which the norms of all human law must be derived.
   
   The Foundation of Natural Law:
   Natural Law is grounded upon this premise... You have a right to your Life, Liberty, and Property... but you also have a Legal Obligation to do the following:
   
   Act:
   To discharge your duties, engaging in the activities that you are reasonably obligated. In other words, pay your debts; return lost, stolen, or borrowed property; and so on.
   
   Abstain:
   To refrain from participating in activities that brings harm to an individual or society. In other words, to refrain from killing, raping, stealing, etc.
   
   Duty:
   An innate moral compulsion for ethical action. A binding social force. In other words, your Moral Obligation. Duty is a bit different than the other three items in this list. Duty is a MORAL OBLIGATION, and no one can legitimately legislate or legally hold to account a moral standard. However, there are some Moral Obligations that are also Legal Obligations.
   
   Examples:
   Parents not only have a Duty (or Moral Obligation) to feed their children, they are obligated by Natural Law (i.e. Legally Obligated) to do so.
   
   Lying is immoral, but not illegal... unless you commit Fraud, Perjury, Forgery, etc. even if that Fraud caused no harm. You must understand and remember, Laws exist as a means to give recourse.
   
   Accountability:
   An obligation to be held to answer for one's action or inaction or immorality. Even though Immorality is not Illegal, you are still held to account for your immoral actions via the scorn of society. Morality should not be legislated, but it most assuredly MUST be taught and held to account societally.
   
   Note: The Law can be extended by Common Law (Law based upon the custom, tradition, and practices of a society) so long that it adheres to the principles of Natural Law.
   

2. Rights (Natural Rights): Those inalienable rights, freedoms, and privileges granted to us by God. These rights are so intertwined with our Humanity that they cannot be traded, given away, or stolen from us. The only way that we can be denied our Natural Rights is by being held accountable via due process of a just and fair law... Natural Law.
   
   The Fundamental Rights are:
   Life: Without life, nothing else matters. Existence is the foundation of all things.
   
   Liberty: The foundation of Man's ability to control his own life and strive to shape his own destiny.
   
   Property: The basis of human happiness, stability, prosperity, advancement, and freedom of contract. The foundation of a free society.
   
   ...and the all important Right to Defend our Rights.
   
   So long as a person is sane, and capable of logical, reasonable, judgment and self-control he may do as he pleases so long as he does not tread upon the Natural Rights of another.
   
   Note: This is not to be confused with Artificial Rights, which are not rights at all.
   
   Artificial Rights:
   As opposed to a Natural Right, an Artificial Right is an imagined or falsely perceived right to something (often based on a goal or aspiration) that requires the imposed action of the State to provide.
   
   Examples of Artificial Rights include, but are not limited to:
   A right to housing.
   A right to health care.
   A right to an education.
   A right to not be discriminated against.
   A right to welfare.
   A right to a job.
   A right to a minimum wage.
   A right to a standard of living.
   

3. Morality: Ethical behavior, Self-restraint, Self-Control; virtuous people must require virtuous leaders.

4. Sovereignty: Self-determination and self-governance.

5. Prudence: Careful, sensible, reasonable, discretion and sound judgment.

6. Family: The foundation of a Civilization.

7. Civility: Includes a prevention of Anarchy via a Minarchistic, Republican form of government.

8. Justice: Equitableness, fairness, and accountability. Due process.

9. Charity: Empathy, generosity, and kindness for others, assist those in need, have a lenient attitude toward your fellow man.

10. Diligence: A zealous, persevering determination to maintain liberty and hold the government to account.

Ten simple principles that can make the difference between Tyranny and Liberty... make them a part of who you are, and what you stand for.

*Portions above culled from my Treatise on Natural Order