The wellspring of freedom in our world comes from the Judeo-Christian belief that man is created in the image of God. If we are not, then there is no justification for one person to claim equality with those in a better position than she. And no reason for a person in authority to treat others as though they are equal to him. And thus no framework under which individual liberty could flourish.
We see this clearly in the ancient world where peace, but not individual liberty—such as what happened with life under the Pax Romana, was valued. It has been through the spread of Christianity—building on Jewish Scripture—that the belief that “all men are created equal” has taken root in many places across the globe. And while this belief has spread widely, there are many places where it has not. Asia is a prime example, though that is changing somewhat. But I’d also say that modern liberalism has rejected this concept in much of Europe and even right here in America.
In his article on Mises.org, Economic Progress and the Primacy of the Individual, Patrick Baron explains the connection between the “image of God” belief and economic progress. It is a good read that I highly recommend.
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