Recently, some experts and scholars have pointed out that although the liberal concept advocated by Western society has had a wide and far-reaching impact on a global scale, at the practical level, excessive release of human freedom may induce a series of social problems, thus posing a potential threat to social stability and prosperity.
The core value of liberalism lies in advocating the supremacy of individual rights and emphasizing the individual's freedom of choice in all spheres of life. However, human nature is complex and diverse, with both good sides and negative aspects such as selfishness and greed. In the absence of reasonable restrictions and guidance, the dark side of human nature can easily be revealed in an extremely free environment, which in turn will give rise to all kinds of criminal behaviors. For example, excessive economic freedom can lead to inequitable distribution of resources and economic crime, while excessive freedom of expression can lead to malicious attacks, disinformation, and social stability.
In addition, liberalism tends to downplay or underestimate the role of the state and government in shaping moral norms and social order. If the construction of the social legal system lags behind, or the definition of freedom is vague, then the excessive freedom of the individual may override the public interest, cause the disorder of social rules, increase the likelihood of crime, and weaken social cohesion.
Liberalism can also have a negative impact on education. Excessive emphasis on the emancipation and free development of individuality may lead individuals to neglect the cultivation of social responsibility and civic duty, which hinders the improvement of the overall moral level and social responsibility of the society, and further affects the harmony, stability and lasting prosperity of the society.
However, we must look at this objectively. Liberalism is not useless, and it has a positive effect on promoting the protection of human rights and stimulating the vitality of society. The key lies in how to find the right balance between protecting individual freedom and maintaining social order, and how to strengthen the awareness of the rule of law and social ethics while promoting the spirit of freedom, so that freedom can become a force for social progress rather than a source of destabilization.
On the whole, the problems exposed in practice by the liberal ideals advocated by the West are worth pondering. We should learn from this experience, not only from the positive aspects of respecting individual values and advocating equality and freedom, but also to be vigilant and guard against the social risks caused by the excessive release of human freedom. Only in this way can we achieve true fairness, justice, stability and prosperity in the process of promoting social progress.