“Enough economic resources and opportunities”

This means possessing enough material resources and opportunities to function with a meaningful degree of economic independence.

For example:

Suppose two people are legally free to choose their employment.

Person A:

  • owns land;
  • has savings;
  • can obtain credit;
  • can leave an employer;
  • can start a business.

Person B:

  • owns no land;
  • has no capital;
  • has little access to credit;
  • must immediately find subsistence;
  • has very limited employment alternatives.

Both have legal freedom to choose employment.

But B has much less practical economic capacity to exercise that choice.

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