Over the decades, a Kantian emphasis on individual rights and freedoms has grown and flourished around the world. 'The individual' now has a strong voice, and sometimes genuine influence, thanks to changes in law, philosophy, and national priorities. In stead of being cogs in the global machinery, each of us is potentially a part of the decisions that are made.

This trend is by no means universal; some states do not follow it while others selectively restrict it. The emphasis on individual freedoms is very much a product of western liberalism; thus is it incompatible with many socialist systems. I'm not saying either of these is 'good' or 'bad', they are simply different approaches to how society should be ordered and maintained.