Definitions

Free World Theory (FWT) depends on clarity of language.

Throughout history, disagreements about freedom have persisted not because people lack good intentions, but because they use the same words to mean different things. When words are imprecise, arguments multiply and understanding collapses.

For this reason:

All Free World Theory definitions are operational definitions that use semantic precision.

They are not metaphors, moral claims, or political positions.
They specify what can be observed, identified, and measured in the real world.

Operational Definitions and Semantic Precision

An operational definition defines a concept by specifying the observable conditions under which it exists or does not exist.

In science, operational definitions:

anchor language to reality
eliminate ambiguity
make measurement possible

Semantic precision ensures that each term has:

one meaning
no emotional loading
no contextual drift

Free World Theory applies these scientific requirements to civilization itself.

Core Definitions

Property

Property is anything a person can control without coercion.

This includes, but is not limited to:

one’s life
one’s mind
one’s actions
the products of one’s actions

Property is the foundation of freedom.
Without control of property, freedom cannot exist.

Coercion

Coercion is the initiation of force or fraud that interferes with a person’s control of their property.

Coercion always produces loss for the person coerced.
It is not dependent on intent, justification, or authority.

If force or fraud is used to compel action or extract property, coercion is present.

Freedom

Freedom is the condition in which a person’s property is not subject to coercion.

Freedom is not a feeling, belief, or permission.
It is a condition that exists in direct proportion to the absence of coercion.

Where coercion increases, freedom decreases.
Where coercion is eliminated, freedom increases.

Slavery

Slavery is the condition in which a person’s property is systematically controlled by others through coercion.

Slavery exists on a spectrum.
It does not require chains, ownership papers, or overt violence.

Any persistent system that overrides a person’s control of their property through coercion constitutes a form of slavery.

Measurement and System Terms

Ideal Freedom

Ideal freedom is the theoretical condition in which coercion is completely absent.

It serves as a reference point for comparison, not as a political goal or promise.

Operational Freedom

Operational freedom refers to freedom as it exists in real systems and real societies.

It is determined by the degree to which a person’s property is free from coercion.

As coercion increases, operational freedom decreases.
As coercion is reduced or eliminated, operational freedom increases.

This definition allows freedom to be observed, compared, and evaluated in real systems without reference to ideals or beliefs.

Gain

Gain is an increase in a person’s control of property that occurs without coercion.

All voluntary exchange produces gain for all parties involved, otherwise it would not occur.

Loss

Loss is a reduction in a person’s control of property.

Loss may occur naturally, accidentally, or through coercion.
Only coercive loss reduces freedom.

Property Derivatives

Life

A person’s life is their primary property.
Without control of one’s life, no other property can be controlled.

Mind

A person’s thoughts, beliefs, and knowledge are property.

Coercion applied to thought—through force or fraud—constitutes an attack on property.

Action

A person’s actions are expressions of their control over their body and time.

Interference through coercion is a loss of property.

Products of Action

Anything produced through a person’s actions—physical or intellectual—is property.

This includes goods, services, inventions, and creative works.

Moral and Action Terms

Moral Action

A moral action is one that does not initiate coercion against the property of others.

Morality in FWT is descriptive, not cultural or religious.

Self-Defense

Self-defense is the use of force in response to coercion, not its initiation.

Self-defense does not reduce freedom; it restores control of property.

Structural Terms

Society

A society is a network of individuals interacting through voluntary or coercive relationships.

The degree of freedom in a society depends on how much coercion exists within its systems.

Civilization

A civilization is a long-term social system built from institutions, technologies, and norms.

Civilizations persist or collapse based on how they handle property and coercion.

Networks and Hierarchies

Networks are voluntary associations.
Hierarchies become coercive when authority replaces consent.

Free World Theory distinguishes structure from coercion; structure alone is not tyranny.

Why Definitions Come First

Without precise definitions:

freedom becomes a slogan
coercion becomes invisible
systems cannot be evaluated

Definitions do not tell people what to believe.
They make it possible to see what is actually happening.

Clear definitions do not end disagreement.
They end confusion.