What are Civil Liberties?

Civil liberties are those liberties which are guaranteed by the Constitution. They protect the citizens from tyrannical rule of the state. Some fundamental civil liberties are freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom of press, etc. In the United States, civil liberties have been recognized in the Bill of Rights.

Importance of Civil liberties

Civil liberties ensure that the citizens are given the freedom to criticise the government and raise their voice against arbitrary and unfair actions of the government officials. The civil liberties provide the people with the freedom of speech and ensure that the public voices are not unnecessarily censored by the government.

Difference Between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Difference Between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties: Civil liberties refer to fundamental freedoms, while civil rights involve the essential entitlement to be protected from discrimination based on characteristics like race, disability, color, gender, national origin, and more.

Civil rights and civil liberties are two important facets of a vibrant democracy. The United States legal jurisprudence makes a clear distinction between the two terms. Civil rights protect individuals from discrimination by the government. These rights are embedded in statutes and protect the citizens from discrimination. Civil liberties, on the other hand, prohibit the government from interfering in the citizens’ personal lives. These liberties are guaranteed by the Constitution itself.

In this article, we will look into the key differences between civil rights and civil liberties in detail along with the definitions, importance, and limitations of both.

Table of Content

  • Difference between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
  • What are Civil Rights?
  • What are Civil Liberties?
  • Limitations of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

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Difference between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

The difference between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties is stated in the table below:...

What are Civil Rights?

Civil rights enable a person to lead a civilized and respectful life in society. These are legal rights that are recognized and conferred by certain statutes and laws. Civil rights include the right against discrimination and the right to fair and equal treatment. All these civil rights have prohibition of discrimination at their core. No person can be discriminated against based on age, color, gender, sex, or religion in matters of employment, education, medical treatment, etc....

What are Civil Liberties?

Civil liberties are those liberties which are guaranteed by the Constitution. They protect the citizens from tyrannical rule of the state. Some fundamental civil liberties are freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom of press, etc. In the United States, civil liberties have been recognized in the Bill of Rights....

Limitations of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Civil liberties are guaranteed by many countries in the world. Even dictatorships such as that in North Korea, guarantee liberties such as freedom of expression and freedom of press to its citizens. However, in many countries these liberties exist only on paper and there is no real enforcement of these liberties. Moreover, many states curtailed the civil liberties of their citizens during the COVID pandemic. Moreover, the liberties of one person may conflict with the liberties of another person. For example, the right to free speech of a person may have to be restricted to respect the right to privacy of another person....

Conclusion – Civil Rights vs. Civil Liberties

While the terms ‘civil liberties’ and ‘civil liberties’ are often used interchangeably, they are fundamentally different from each other. Civil liberties are a negative obligation on the government, as the state cannot breach these constitutionally guaranteed liberties. The state has to refrain from interfering with the civil liberties of the citizens. Civil rights, on the other hand, cast a positive obligation on the state. The government has to take proactive steps to ensure that the civil rights of the citizens are not infringed. These active steps involve framing anti-discrimination laws and setting up proper investigation agencies....

FAQs on Difference Between Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Who can be held responsible for the violation of Civil Liberties?...