Freedom vs security

I moved from an independent house to a gated community recently. I realized that there are tradeoffs in living in an independent house vs a gated community. These tradeoffs are similar to that of capitalism vs communism. The tradeoff in both cases is of freedom vs security. Capitalism prioritizes freedom over security. Communism prioritizes security over freedom. When I lived in an independent house, I had high freedom. I could have late-night parties, play loud music or do repairs in the middle of the night. But I felt less secure. I had to solve all problems myself. If there were problems with the neighbors or outsiders, I had to resolve them myself. The burden of this responsibility made me feel insecure. The situation was the opposite in the gated community. I had less freedom. There were plenty of rules restricting my freedom. I couldn’t play loud music at night. I couldn’t do repairs at night. But I felt secure. The community had a quasi-government (building society/association) taking care of its residents. This government put rules/systems in place to secure residents from each other and outsiders. This is why I couldn’t play loud music at night. This is why there was heavy security at the gate. The government made me feel secure from my neighbors and outsiders.

The tradeoff in moving from an independent house to a gated community was good for me. I value security more than freedom. I think the same choice applies to large groups of people. Some cultures value freedom. They like capitalism. Some cultures value security. They lean towards communism.