FREE SPEECH (Vers Short Introduction) (No 200.)

Free Speech: A Very Short Introduction examines the liberal assumption that free speech is worth preserving at any cost and offers a guide to important questions facing modern society about the value and limits of free speech. Where should a civilized society draw the line? Should we be free to offend other people's religion? Are there good grounds for censoring pornography? Has the Internet changed everything? ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it’. This slogan, attributed to Voltaire, is frequently quoted by defenders of free speech. Yet it is rare to find anyone prepared to defend all expression in every circumstance, especially if the views expressed incite violence.