Freedom is being free of fear.

"How better to persuade the people to accept restraints upon their freedom to get the best bargains on international markets than to convince them that their and their neighbours’ livelihoods are put uniquely in peril by such commerce?"

I think this is the crux of the matter, Don. Fear. Fear is an important tool, and it's easy to undermine even those with the strongest constitutions with fear. Just look how quickly those who claim their pro-freedom surrender to an all-powerful state the second immigration or Islam is mentioned? Or how quickly those who claim they support free markets turn tail and hide the second foreigners are mentioned?

"OOOO! They're coming for ya! If you don't stop hiding behind your rights and stop questioning me and my uniformed friends, then the (terrorists/Muslims/communists/rich people) are gonna come and rape you!"

I was 12 on 9/11. Shortly thereafter, my teachers taught an important lesson: move on with your life. “Keep calm and carry on”. If we give into fear, the terrorists win. After all, that’s what terrorism was all about.

The lesson I got from that was knowledge dispels fear. Using that, I was able to overcome my fear of thunderstorms and control my fear of spiders. As such, when someone tries to use fear to control me, I try to step away and look at this clearly. It’s served me well in the past. Keeps me even-keeled and prevents me from getting swept up in whatever fear-du-jour is in style. And, above all, it keeps me free.