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Preferred term

freedom to bear arms  

Definition

  • One of the most controversial amendments in the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution is the Second Amendment, which protects the right to keep and bear arms. The controversy stems from four basic issues: (1) Is it an individual right or a collective right? (2) What is the purpose of the right? (3) Is it a fundamental right? and (4) Is it necessary in modern society such that certain limits should be placed on it? A Collective or Individual Right? Throughout the latter half of the twentieth century, the first issue, whether the right to keep and bear arms is a collective right or an individual right, has been the primary focus of discussion concerning the Second Amendment. [Source: The Encyclopedia of Political Science; Freedom to Bear Arms]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/freedom_to_bear_arms

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