1. It is not at all implausible to arrive at such an understanding of emancipation on the basis of the existing historical record. Emancipation does not have to stem from one's own effort at liberation. it can be granted from above. its focus often rests on attaining equality of status or equal rights. it does not have to concern humanity at large. it may concern particular groups of society that have suffered oppression. See Karl Martin Grass and Reinhart Koselleck, ‘Emanzipation' in Otto Brunner, Werner Conze and Reinhart Koselleck (eds),Geschichtliche Grundbegriffe, vol 2 (Ernst Klett, 1975) 153, 169.
2. European Commission, ‘Consumer Empowerment in the Eu', http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumer_empowerment/docs/swd_consumer_empowerment_eu_en.pdf, 1.
3. See Renewed Social agenda, http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catid=547.