# Importance of Freedom of Speech in a Democracy Because democracy relies on people making informed and educated decisions, the freedom of speech is of utmost importance, along with a good education, because the voice of the opposition should not be stymied. For importance of education, see [[Importance of Education in a Democracy]]. One of the seminal essays on the importance of freedom of speech is [[On Liberty]] by [[John Stuart Mill]]. It is considered to be one of the most important works of liberalism. A while back I wrote an essay classifying democracies into those with, and without, the freedom of speech. It is [[Two Distinct Democracies]]. For a link between [[The First Amendment]], the freedom of speech, and drug policy in the United States see [[If Cannabis Is Legalized, Should All Drugs Be]]. The Economist published a leader in May 2022 arguing that [[Press Freedom Is Under Attack]]. It accompanied this larger article [[Press Freedom Is Under Attack. It Needs Defenders]]. ## Social Media and the Freedom of Speech Social media has made a significant impact on modern society (see [[How Social Media Impacted Modern Society]]). Part of that impact is the tendency to start limiting dissent, as society has become more timid. For more see [[Banning University Speakers Literature and Other Forms of Censorship in Education]]. ## Is Freedom of Speech Paramount? Is freedom of speech paramount, or are there situations in which it should hold a lower priority? See [[The Road to Damascus]]. In [[On Liberty]], [[John Stuart Mill]] argued that it should be restrained to prevent harm. It is an argument for [[Justifying The Trump Twitter Ban]]: ![[On Liberty#^ccoiv4]]