Freedom of speech occupies a special place in the hierarchy of human rights. It was promulgated in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and became the basic element for the formation of all other liberal values. Freedom of speech manifests itself in all spheres of human life and society, and the degree to which it is developed within a particular state determines the historical path of the latter. The right of citizens to freely express their opinions is the most important provision of the First Amendment, because all other possible rights follow after it.
Freedom of speech is primarily concerned with the expression of thought. Linguistically speaking, language is the one and only way of making sense of things. Speech is the acoustic and graphic form of stating people’s thoughts and ideas, so by restricting freedom of speech, the state is actually restricting the opportunity for thought. From the perspective of the political sphere of society, freedom of speech is the basis on which all existing means of public expression are built (Aust et al.). The rights of peaceful demonstrations and union meetings cannot be exercised without the ability of each participant in the events to voice his or her own opinion.
Freedom of speech is one of the foundations of a democratic society. Without it, it is difficult to imagine citizens participating in the political decision-making process. After all, only when citizens are given access to the information they need and can express their opinions does a society with representative government have the ability to make decisions democratically. Moreover, this freedom in a democracy is vital in exposing and preventing abuses by officials. It increases the transparency of public service, governance, makes officials accountable to the people, increases their responsibility, and reduces the possibility of them concentrating enormous power in their hands illegally.
Moreover, this freedom enables vulnerable or aggrieved groups to defend their rights in the social, economic, or spiritual spheres of life. For example, by publishing an article about the oppression of black people in a particular district, a voice of concern about the problem and brings it to the attention of those in power (Aust et al.). From this one can conclude that media freedom is unequivocally based on freedom of speech.
The importance of citizens’ right to express their opinions as guaranteed in the amendment can also be traced back to Abraham Maslow’s pyramid. Each of the needs that exist depends significantly on how freely a citizen is able to express his or her thoughts in public. The need for security and basic material goods can be protected if the problems of crime and harassment are detailed in the media and discussed at rallies (Aust et al.). The need for social recognition and actualization is also inextricably linked to the extent to which citizens are able to express their talents and potential.
Thus, in all spheres of life, freedom of speech is important to all segments of the population. It is important to note that through this right, citizens have the opportunity to address issues both at the domestic level and to influence global processes in society. The freedoms of all institutions of society and the mechanisms of their communication with the authorities are largely determined by how openly a person’s opinion can be made public. Moreover, the wider the range of people’s possibilities in expressing their thoughts, the more ways they have in moving up the pyramid of needs.
Work Cited
Aust, Helmut Philipp, et al. Research Handbook on International Law and Cities. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021.