A comparison of the implications of negative and positive freedom for the relationship between the individual and the State Introduction It is difficult to define freedom in the sense of political theory. Berlin (1968) suggests two concepts of freedom, negative freedom and positive freedom. Negative freedom refers to "the area within which a man can act without hindrance from others" (Berlin, 1968, p, 118), while positive freedom refers to "being master of himself" (Berlin , 1968, p, 122). The purpose of this article is to study the implications of Berlin's (1968) negative freedom and positive freedom on the relationship between the individual and the state. This article will begin by studying the implications of negative freedom and positive freedom respectively on the relationship between the individual and the state, followed by a comparison of these two implications with a real-world example, the different attitudes of the American government and the Chinese government towards weapons control, to counteract the different implications that these two types of freedom have on the relationship between individual and state for these two countries. The Implications of Positive Freedom People who pursue more positive freedom are inclined to transfer more rights to the state, and a state that focuses on positive freedom can lead to a state with too much power. If individuals want to be masters of themselves, they will actively use their ability to pursue their goals. Therefore they need an active state to support them. To make the state more active in achieving individuals' goals, they should transfer more rights to the state. When a state becomes too active, its power becomes too great, and sometimes this leads to opposition to positive freedom for most people… middle of paper… in transferring rights to the state. state. Therefore, a state that focuses on positive liberty will create a powerful government, while a state that focuses on negative liberty will create a weak government. China and the United States' different treatment of gun ownership by law-abiding citizens has demonstrated these implications. Reference Berlin, I. (1969). Two concepts of freedom. Berlin, I, 118-172.Carlson, J. D. (2012). “I don't call 911” America's Gun Policy and the Police Problem. British Journal of Criminology, 52(6), 1113-1132.Dutton, M. (1997). The fundamental character of crime in contemporary China. The China Quarterly, 149, 160-177. Kelly, A. H., Harbison, W. A., & Belz, H. (1991). The American Constitution: Its Origins and Development (Vol. 2). New York: Norton.Cho, E. (2012). The Juche Thread: Negotiating Socialism and Nationalism Through Science in North Korea.