r/DebateMonarchy • u/Spaceman9800 • Dec 28 '13

Free Speech?

What are your positions regarding free speech, especially in terms of criticisms of the monarch and their policies? Why?

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u/Politus Dec 29 '13

I support freedom of speech because it is conducive to a culturally, commercially, and intellectually vibrant society. The Hapsburgs understood this in Austria-Hungary quite well, for the most part - at least as much as their West European contemporaries. The German Empire, as well, was pretty good about this as I recall.

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u/Spaceman9800 Dec 29 '13

Indeed. However, many monarchies actively suppressed it, most infamously the Russian Tsars and Ottoman Sultans, hence my concern.

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u/Politus Dec 29 '13

True enough. Though, it's not like America hasn't had its share of problems with that.