Final answer:
William Graham Sumner defined liberty as the freedom to act without unauthorized restraint while ensuring a legal system protects property and limits government control. His concept entails personal freedoms coupled with legal protection, ensuring that liberty doesn't infringe on others' safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
William Graham Sumner, notably different from John Stuart Mill, defined liberty as the freedom to act without unauthorized restraint, in alignment with the philosophical foundation of natural rights that the Founding Fathers of the United States endorsed. Whereas Mill focused on the importance of limited government interference to support individual pursuits of 'the good,' Sumner emphasized the necessity of legal systems protecting property rights and shielding citizens from excessive government control. A crucial aspect of Sumner's concept of liberty involves the balance between personal freedom and legal safeguards, where the law must serve to protect individual rights without unduly hindering personal autonomy unless such actions cause harm to others.
Liberty, according to Sumner, requires a government that is effectively constructed, so that individuals do not live in fear of one another, and where personal safety imagines a form of political tranquility. This definition of liberty envisions a societal structure where freedoms are preserved, but not at the expense of infringing upon the liberties and safety of others. Lastly, Mill's emphasis on open dialogue and the critique of even widely accepted views underscores another facet of liberty: the right to free expression that fosters societal growth and protects against the tyranny of the majority.