"For two decades the state has been taking liberties, and these liberties were once ours"

This quote by E. P. Thompson is a criticism of the state's power and influence over the people. He is recommending that the state has been eliminating the liberties of the people for the past 20 years. He is implying that the state has actually been taking away the rights and flexibilities of individuals, which were once theirs. This quote is a pointer that the state ought to not be allowed to remove the rights of individuals without their authorization. It is a call to action for the people to take back their liberties and to defend their rights. It is a tip that the people need to not be benefited from by the state and that they ought to be enabled to exercise their rights and flexibilities.