27 October 2025

Luke Warches: Freedom paradox

https://pch24.pl/lukasz-warzecha-freeze-paradox

(Op. PCh24.pl)

There is actually no more period in which no further anti-freedom regulations would come out of the Sejm. If individual had imagined that this course would change with the change of power in late 2023, he must have been severely disappointed. It is even worse: what he started with the highly statistic PiS is creatively and creatively continued by the current power.

The bail system, further restrictions and tightening of penalties against drivers, ban on animal breeding on furs, ideas specified as additional investigation for weapon holders or regulations specified as the ban on installing fences with sharp ends – due to the fact that he could hurt himself with a kitten – and many, many another issues – all this shows where we are going.

Liberals have been alarming for a long time, due to the fact that this spiral of bans and warrants has besides started the PiS, a organization of utmost state centralism and aggressive paternalism. However, their voice seems to be the voice of a crying in the desert. no of the above mentioned regulations have raised more serious, mass opposition. Nor does the question of the scope of individual freedom seem to play an crucial function in the 2023 and 2025 elections.

In this context, the results of the study, conducted by the Ariadne Panel for the Adam Smith Centre, are paradoxical, an institution very well deserved to advance classical liberalism and a liberal approach to the economy. This is the second CAS survey on the approach of Poles to individual freedom (conducted on a typical group of over 1,100 people, most of whom were not connected to conducting business). The erstwhile 1 was done six months earlier.

The results may not be sensational from the point of view of supporters of individual freedom, but they are not depressing at all. It follows that a large group of respondents see not only the existing restrictions on freedom, but besides aptly recognise the tendency to further tighten the loop.

Here are the most interesting results:

To the question: “How do you presently measure your individual freedom as a Polish citizen?” a full of 40% replied that it is advanced (of which 9% rated it very high), 43% said it was average and 17% said it was low (8% – very low).
The question: “What direction do you think the level of individual freedom of Poles is in?” only 11% replied that it was increasing. According to 51%, the deficiency of change and, according to the opinion, 38% of freedom decreases.

The level of economical freedom was advanced in a full of 17% (only 3% as very high), 56% considered it to be average and a full of 27% said it was low (of which 11% - very low). So more people see restrictions on economical freedom than individual freedom. erstwhile asked about the direction of economical freedom in Poland, 11% replied that its scope was increasing, 53% – that it was not changing, but 36% – that it was decreasing.

There was besides a question about the scope of government officials. 44% considered it besides advanced (of which 14% is definitely besides high), 37% as optimal, and only 19% as besides low (of which 4% is far besides low). erstwhile asked about the direction of change in this area, 34% said that the scope of authoritative power was increasing, 55% said that it was not changing and only 11% said it was decreasing.

As many as 85% of respondents said that in our country there are besides many legal regulations wasting time and money of citizens and entrepreneurs.

Finally, the question was whether a higher level of economical freedom of citizens – and thus little rules and restrictions, as well as lower taxes – leads to a higher level of prosperity. In total, 63% responded "yes"; "it's hard to say" was a 28% response, and it only denied 9%. 61% thought that for the future of Poland it would be better to reduce bureaucracy and regulations. A clear minority, i.e. the remaining 39%, was in favour of the option “more professional officials and clearer regulations”.

Something weird is going on here. It is actual that 40% of Poles inactive believe that they have quite a few freedom – which, of course, is not rather nonsubjective and can be shown, showing on figures how the regulations on everyday life have grown in the last 2 decades. However, assessing the direction of change and what would be better for Poland and for the respondents themselves, leaves no uncertainty that freedom should be more, no less. So why specified indifference – and in many cases even enthusiasm – to restrictions or ideas for further restrictions?

The answer is rather simple: Poles do not associate with each another the applicable and theoretical spheres of defence of freedom. They instinctively feel that little freedom is simply a worse life and that the direction of change is unfavorable. But erstwhile confronted with a concrete anti-freedom change, they do not see its connection with the sphere of freedom. This surely has to do with the reasons for the changes made by politicians or activists promoting them.

Freedom to sale alcohol? Yeah, but alcohol hurts, there's drunks, there's a disturbance in peace, so you can't see it as a regulation of freedom. It's right.

Sugar tax? But sugar is unhealthy, people get sick. Order to drive people up to the age of 16 on bicycles and scooters in helmets (just introduced by the amendment of the Vehicle Drivers Act – there is no signature of the president yet)? But there are so many accidents...

The bail system? But there'll be little garbage!

There is besides a sacramental: “It does not concern me.” This horrifying shortsightedness of people whose limitations (for now) do not touch, appears repeatedly in comments.

I So on, and so on. Regulators will always be able to prove that they do not make restrictions on freedom, and even if they restrict it a little, it is only out of deep concern for our wellness and safety.

That is why it is so crucial to explain the cumulative effects of these countless restrictions on us. It may not be a fruitless orca at the end, since, as the CAS test shows, subsoil exists.