Human security in historical retrospective and prospective

The issue of the significance of security in the process of formation and development of human civilization is analyzed - from ancient times to the present day. The hypothesis of the study is the position that historical experience is also important for modern measures to ensure the security of individuals and society as a whole. At the same time, emphasis is placed on human security, because human security is recognized as one of the highest social values. From this perspective, the issue of the relationship between freedom and security, which has existed since time immemorial, is also analyzed, as the human desire for some unrestricted actions (freedom) and at the same time the attempt to somehow limit this freedom (as a rule, for reasons of ensuring security for both society and the state, and for the individual) was eternal.The aim of the article is to clarify the features of ensuring human security in historical retrospect and, on this basis, to clarify the relationship between «freedom» and «security» in social development.Moreover, in the process of historical progress, the attitude towards ensuring human security and the participation of state authorities in this process has also changed significantly. It has been proven that at the same time the problem of the influence of government on ensuring the security of individuals and society as a whole was and remains permanent. First of all, it concerned the ratio of freedom (as a free choice of a person’s own behavior) and security (primarily as state-authority security measures, which partly limited the rights and freedoms of citizens). Modern democratic governance is characterized by a constant search for a balance between «security» and «freedom.» However, what is particularly noteworthy is that in the event of a crisis or armed aggression, priority is given to national security (which is forced and necessary, because under such conditions it is the state that must protect citizens from all kinds of threats and dangers that threaten national security and, at the same time, the safety of individuals).