The Fact
No—not in every philosophical tradition. Republican political philosophy distinguishes freedom as non-interference from freedom as non-domination. In the non-domination tradition, a person is less free when another person or institution holds arbitrary or uncontrolled power to interfere in their choices, even if that power is not exercised every day.
Context Note
This is a political-philosophy definition of freedom and domination. It does not redefine legal slavery or equate ordinary employment with chattel slavery, forced labor, trafficking, or ownership of persons.
What This Means
One historically important definition of freedom asks not only “Did someone stop you?” but also “Does someone hold unchecked power over whether you may act?”
Sources
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Republicanism.” https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/republicanism/
- Pettit, P. (1997/1999). Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and Government. Oxford University Press.