Comparative Essay Sample: Obama's Speech and The Four Freedoms

The idea of a life free from fear is something humans have always sought out, even as the world around them changed and evolved. In 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt made an enduring speech called “The Four Freedoms.” Nearly 70 years later in 2012, President Obama made a similar speech about freedom from fear. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered “The Four Freedoms”  in 1941 during world war 2, when people of the world lived in fear without peace. The speech, addressed mainly to the u.s citizens, was made to convince the people to come together to support Britain instead of staying neutral during the war to allow future generations a chance of a free world, stating that “the happiness of future generations of Americans may well depend upon how effective and how immediate we can make our aid felt.” Franklin D. Roosevelt believed unity was our strength. His vision for the political system was to fulfill the “freedom of speech and expression–everywhere in the world,” freedom of religion, freedom of want, and freedom from fear, meaning “no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor–anywhere in the world.” 

“Our world has been transformed over and over, and it will be again…” President Obama’s welcome speech to the prime minister of the United Kingdom also speaks about a life free from fear, stating that “our citizens should be able to live free from fear. So, like generations before us, we stand united in the defense of our countries…” He begins by addressing all the changes the world has experienced since the war, stating that “[through] the decades we've seen nations rise and fall; wars fought and peace defended; a city divided…the transition from an Industrial Revolution to an Information Age where new technologies empower our citizens.” However, the unity of the people, working together, bleeding together, and building together, stayed the same, keeping the nation secure and the people safe. Obama pushes the idea of sticking together to improve the economy and working together to reduce poverty to improve the quality of life: “– the new crops that feed a village, the care that saves a mother in childbirth, the vaccine that allows a child to live a long and healthy life.”

Although decades have passed between the two speeches, the main idea of a life without fear remains the same. Freedom of fear is about receiving medical care, the ability to work, and peace between countries and within the nation with the ability to freely express yourself. Those are our human rights and will remain timeless. However, given the time period of “The Four Freedoms,” it’s clear to see that Roosevelt’s speech is more about defending America from other aggressors, with the four freedoms being more of a vision and a goal to achieve in the future. Whereas in Obama’s welcome speech, the four freedoms are a part of our amendment rights. President Obama’s vision is to continue staying united to improve the life of freedom from fear. For example, making health care more accessible. Decades later, both speeches are still relevant because medical care and vaccines are much more necessary than before. As time passes on, humans will always continue to seek a secure, healthy life without fear.