If you cling to life, you'll lose it. If you're ready to lose life, you'll gain it. A bit christiany, wouldn't you say? :))

A capacity for freedom is a natural feature.  However, the concept of freedom changes through times. 

Human thought is responsive to actual reality. So history  can be seen as the development of ideas about freedom.

History is the progress and consciousness for freedom.

I'm free because I can act on my desires. Or better yet, I'm free because I give up on them.

It becomes a freedom of the pure self. But it becomes too abstract and you cant commit to any activity.

You need a middle ground mediated by society, so that you reflect your desires in society.

Hegel looks at each civilization and the concept of freedom that it embodies.

The Reformation seen as  inner spiritual freedom, inner fate, not through external authority.

state-individual

There's a codependent relation between state and individual. Most of our desires are the result of the world we live in (We don't 'need' Pepsi, but you learn to need it.)

I can't craft my own identity without the others around me. A metaphisycally bankrupt idea.