On January 6th 1941, during World
War 2, US
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt conveyed a remarkable
speech to the US
Congress. This speech is an unprecedented milestone in the history of
democracy to establish equality and liberty to contribute the world in respect of
politics, war, administration and technology as a leading strength in the
globalised modern world.
I chose this speech, because, he
focused some important guidelines in his speech indicating that America
is the symbol of real democratic institution with which all chains of captivity
can be possible to be broken. I have been impressed by going through his speech
where the realism of free nation enjoying sound body and sound mind has been
vividly mulled over. He disliked bitterness and conspiracy; rather he put forth
the model of freedom as a
tentative flow. I think Rudyard Kipling, a famous
English poet has really understood the perpetual meaning of free nation among
the children in the following few lines of his poem.
‘Forgiveness
free of evil done
And love to
all men neath the sun’
It is important in the sense that
in this speech, he proclaimed that four freedoms are inevitable to a prosperous
democracy. This milestone has been reflected in the form of real democracy, for
the people, by the people and of the people. Such milestones are freedom of
speech, freedom of worship, freedom of want and freedom of fear. In this
speech, in future days, he explored some ways to make sure by looking forward a
world founded upon such milestones of freedom. According to him, the first one
is freedom of speech and expression which is predominant every where in the
world to make freedom meaningful in order to strengthen the democratic
institution virtually. He then strongly contemplated that the second one is
freedom of every person to worship God in his own way- every where in the
world. In regard to 3rd one, he pointed out every one in the state
maneuvering should ensure freedom from want- which, translated into world
terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a
healthy peace time life for its inhabitants- every where in the world.
Further more, the fourth one is
freedom from fear- which, translated
into world terms, means a world wide reduction of armaments to such a
point and in such a thorough fashion
that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression
against any neighbor-every where in the world.
I have also been impressed when he says about the reality of
freedom and free nation. According to him a free nation has the right to expect
full cooperation from all groups. A free
nation has the right to look to the leaders of business, of labor, and of
agriculture to take the lead in stimulating effort, not among other groups but
within their own groups. He knew the
real secret of democracy for which he contemplated that there is nothing
mysterious about the foundations of a healthy and strong democracy rather it is
coherent in the midst of leading life controlled and cleanly with full unity,
faith and discipline.