“Liberty must be a mighty thing; for by it God punishes and rewards nations.”

I'm not quite sure how to rate this. Liberty, a lawful extension of equity (ancient Hebrew as is averse to Greek, Roman or later adaptations) was endowed upon this dispensation of existence by the Creator. Setting such scenario in carnal man's perception of punishment and reward doesn't quite allow for an accurate representation or in depth understanding. Punishment and reward is how carnal malefactors control their subjects (the implementation of a god in such a scenario is only for means of intensifying and justifying evil). By historical observation, those that exude liberty at a natural law setting prosper, have peace and participate in the best that humanity has to offer. When other than natural law and liberty are administered (such as through socialism and other forms of progressive theocracies), poverty, pain, agitation, war, compelled compliance, government licenses, victimless crimes, larceny with impunity (2nd plank of the communist manifesto, Social Security, police state confiscations, etc.) and otherwise man's inhumanity to man is realized. 

How does one define punishment and reward at natural law? At natural law (gravity), is slipping on a wet curb and dropping six inches or, slipping on a rock and falling down a cliff a punishment, reward or just a natural occurrence. There are not so obvious laws of nature commanding less immediate results as gravity - such as, fiscal laws. Keynesian economics are a definitive element of socialism – as is outside of, and opposed to the laws of nature’s fiscal laws. When nature’s fiscal laws are adhered to through individual laissez-faire efforts, prosperity is available to all. Within applied Keynesian economics, a few get rich while the majority gets poor / poorer / poorest (economic repression prevails). Is that a punishment, reward or just an occurrence at nature for living a particular law / rule.

On the topic of liberty (while considering punishments and rewards), an elephant in the room that is not usually associated therewith is the topic of: “justice” and, the applications thereof. Depending on one’s personal perspective of punishment and reward and definition of justice – liberty exists in another conversation.

Confusing.