In many publications Zygmunt Bauman used a metaphor of a pendulum extending between freedom and security. He claimed that the shape of the relationship between these two values, which he considered both as opposite and complementary, was a good indicator of social and cultural changes. In this regard he devoted much attention to transformations of modernity. Bauman argued that the characteristic feature of the transition process from solid to liquid modernity was a definite appreciation of freedom in relation to security. However, the consequence of this situation was development of the sense of insecurity, which was fuelled, according to Bauman, by the ruling authorities perceiving these actions as one of the sources legitimizing their power. Such a situation caused that the pendulum has recently begun to swing over to the opposite side. In his opinion, in the era of growing social distances, terrorist threats and migration crisis, security is gaining more and more supporters. In the article I focus on the critical analysis of Bauman’s findings regarding both concepts mentioned. In addition, I will indicate the way of establishing balance between them which he presented in his engaged sociology.