Should we value Positive Freedom over Negative Freedom?

This essay will focus on establishing an accurate definition of Negative Freedom and Positive Freedom and will also focus on establishing an accurate differentiation between Positive and Negative Freedom, only once a clear cut differentiation and definition between Positive and Negative Freedoms. The latter part of the essay will focus on establishing which type of freedom, Negative or Positive Freedoms, should be valued over the other type of freedom and will then extrapolate a deductively sound reason as to why one freedom should be valued over the other freedom.
P.J Hugh argues that the term negative freedom, focuses on freedom from interference, this is drawn from a question that asks: What is the area within which the subject – a person or group of persons – is or should be left to do or be what he is able to do or be, without interference by other persons? (Berlin, 2008). Freedom is the opportunity to act, not action itself, it is a matter of the doors open to us, not of whether we happen to choose to go through them. Theories of negative freedom spell out the acceptable limits of interference in individuals’ lives. A person’s negative freedom is restricted when the numbers of choices that, that person can make about their lives are limited and restricted. A person’s negative freedom is determined by how many possible choices lie open to them, or, to use one of Berlin’s metaphors, how many doors are unlocked. It is also determined by the types of choices that are available. Clearly not every sort of choice should be given equal status: some choices are of greater importance than others. (Hugh, 2006). Berlin argues that, a person is normally said to be free to the degree to which no man or body of men interferes with their...

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... is to have a choice, and the more choices one has, the more free one is. A choice is an opportunity to choose; if I have a choice between A and B, then if I choose A, I get A, and if I choose B, I get B. (Arneson, 1996).
Whatever I have the positive freedom to do I can do if I choose to try. My abilities and talents and the resources at my disposal affect the extent of my positive freedom but not the extent of my negative freedom. Generally, if I am positively free to X I am also negatively free to X, but not always. If someone tries to coerce me or places obstacles in my path, but the obstacles are not completely effective, so that I can still get X if I try to get X, then I am positively free with respect to X but not completely negatively free. (Arneson, 1996) It is for this reason why I believe positive freedom should be more valued than negative freedom.