爱华网Freedom of Speech in the History and Nowadays
Freedom of speech and of the press is essential tohuman rights. Without this freedom, a man can not be called a manin the full meaning. Some people even recognised freedom of speechas the foundation of all our freedom. Although may be overestimatedin a sence, the contribution of this freedom to human’s well-beingis great. With this freedom, we can declare our legitimate rightsand blame those evil things,in order not to be hurt bythem.
However, not everyone in every period of historycan enjoy such freedom of speech. In the old days, some governersforbade people from talking freely. In Zhou Dinasty of old China,there was a crule and absurd King called Zhou Li Wang,who was boredby the criticism of his ministers, and ordered that people couldnot criticise the King and his kingdom, or heavy penelty would beimposed. Consequently, people became more silent. Even intimatefriends didn’t dare to talk with each other when they met inthestreet. Finally, people rebelled and drove the Kingaway.
In the west, things could not be better. In themedieval England, there was a crime called “seditious libel”. Ifsomeone in his speech or his writings criticised the King or thelords, he would be sentenced severely.
Fortunately, freedom of speech gradually drewpeople’s attention and was established as a foundamental right ofhuman beings. In England and America, judges gradually abolished“seditious libel” in many cases. Now people in these countries cantalk freely as they will, in the scope of the law, ofcourse.
Freedom of speech is limited in some aspects. Forexample, people can not maliciously attack others, and at the timeof war or emergency, freedom of speech will also be limitedproperly. Thus, when we are enjoying our freedom of speech, weshould bear in mind that we can not practise our rights arbitrarilyand when we intrude the scope of other’s rights and freedom orcaused some danger to the state or the social benefit, we would bepunished by the law. S--o, a sensible citizen is the one who enjoyshis freedom of speech while respecting other’s rights and the legalorder.
法学院2005级宪法行政法二班张晓辉
——五年前，还能写出这种文章来，五年后羡慕当时的水平，说明真的退步了。
