Based on Isaiah Berlin's understanding of liberty, the statement "The state can only secure positive liberty to the individual" is not correct.
Isaiah Berlin famously distinguished between two concepts of liberty:
Negative Liberty: This is the absence of obstacles, barriers, or constraints imposed by other people or institutions. In this sense, liberty is defined as the area within which an individual can act unobstructed by others. The state's role in securing negative liberty involves creating and maintaining conditions where individuals are free from coercion and interference by others.
Positive Liberty: This refers to the possibility of an individual being their own master and having the capacity to act upon their free will. Positive liberty is associated with self-mastery, self-determination, and the conditions necessary for individuals to fulfill their potential.
Berlin argued that while the state can play a role in securing both forms of liberty, it is not accurate to say that the state can only secure positive liberty. The state also plays a crucial role in securing negative liberty by enforcing laws that prevent individuals and groups from infringing on the freedom of others.
Therefore, the correct understanding according to Berlin would be that the state can secure both positive and negative liberty, not just positive liberty. The assertion that "the state can only secure positive liberty to the individual" misrepresents Berlin's nuanced view of the state's role in protecting different forms of liberty.