How do civil liberties differ from civil rights?

• A. Civil liberties protect individuals from government action; civil rights protect individuals from discrimination and ensure equal protection under the law.
• B. Civil liberties protect against discrimination; civil rights protect government action.
• C. They are the same
• D. Civil liberties apply only to voting

Answer: (A)

Civil liberties are protections that keep the government from interfering with your fundamental freedoms—things like speech, religion, privacy, and due process. They are about limiting government power over individuals.

Civil rights are protections that ensure equal treatment and prevent discrimination, often requiring the government to act to secure that protection. They focus on guaranteeing that people have the same opportunities and rights under the law, no matter who they are.

So, for example, freedoms of expression and protection against unreasonable searches are civil liberties because they place limits on government action. Laws and actions that prevent discrimination in voting, education, employment, or public accommodations are civil rights because they involve the government ensuring people are treated equally and protected from discrimination.

Both aim to expand freedom, but civil liberties restrict government actions against individuals, while civil rights push for government action to prevent discrimination and ensure equal protection under the law.