The general ideal of liberty is always impacted by public policy. Firstly, it is important to define both terms:
Liberty is defined as having the power to act as one pleases, and to pursue their own interests and preferences.
Public Policy is defined as the principles on which social laws (that a society follows) are based.
As such, in any organized societal structure, the system must find a balance (or lack thereof) to allow individuals their interests, while providing security for the society as a whole.
Now, the first thing to define is the structure in which both these concepts are placed in. The relations and how each impacts each other is influenced by which one is placed in a greater value for the given society. In a idealistic world for example, the value of public policy, and therefore, public safety, is placed above that of individual liberty. This is reflected in large parts by the Roman Republic. While one can be a citizen of Rome, there were tiers in which one can receive larger amounts of rights in comparison to lower class citizens. Third-rate citizens (the ones which we will focus on), were not allowed to vote or hold public office, though all other rights are the same as other rate citizens. Public policy, during this time period therefore, valued family history and domestici lorica crista above that of individualism.
The United States, on the other hand, gives a idealistic version of liberty, though in practice it is heavily restricted throughout the years. The concept of liberty of the states and individualisms have always played an important role in the United States history. In calling towards the individualistic sense of freedom, the body is therefore calling for the freedom to create a system for themselves to live in. Therefore, the concept of public policy is born from having liberty.
While each of these seem to contrast each other (public policy being restrictive laws to enforce while liberty meaning freedom), in a fine line public policy is what allows for individual freedom. To quote Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness. -- Thomas Jefferson.
Public policy, in this case, would therefore work to secure individual rights in that order, to the best of what societal beliefs allow during that time. While one may question the application of this throughout the United State's history, it is important to remember that "citizens", and the requirements to become one, are the only ones that are protected by this document, and continues to be so.
As stated before, public policy and liberty contrast each other. To have more of one thing would mean relinquishing the other. To put in perspective, we may bring up crimes.
Citizens relinquish their absolute rights in an effort to ensure that all citizens have access to their natural rights (Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness). Therefore, activities, though done generally with personal freedom, may cause affected individuals to lose their natural rights. Therefore, in order to ensure that each individual has proper access to each of their own rights, would therefore define such actions as crimes. Public policy would therefore dictate, in order to allow everyone equal access to life, to ban premeditated murder.
On the flip side, if there were no laws that "banned" murder, then one would have the liberty to murder someone of their free will, while relinquishing the affected's liberty to life.
As long as there is society, there must be some resemblance of law and order. As such, if society is to embrace the facade of liberty and individualism, it must be within the confines of what is acceptable to society by and large.
If you would like to learn more about liberty vs public policy, you can search up the following topics:
- Individualism vs Society
- Common Good vs Individualism
- Individualist vs Collectivist
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Note: It is important to note that while the general ideal would be similar, how liberty impacts public policy (and vice versa), is dependent on a country's societal ideals, and what they place has important above the rest.