By Abhishek Saha
. . .
Over the Christmas break, I read Free Speech: A Global History from Socrates to Social Media, Jacob Mchangama’s magnificent chronicle of free speech through the ages. What struck me most was how the debates we face today—about academic freedom, censorship, and the limits of expression—are far from new. The same arguments for gatekeeping have resurfaced time and again, reflecting the eternal divide between egalitarian and elitist conceptions of free expression. Another recurring theme in the book is the selective, unprincipled defence of speech—“free speech for me, but not for thee”—a hypocrisy that has plagued even its staunchest advocates throughout history and remains alive today.
But above all, the book is a stark reminder that history bends toward “free-speech entropy.” The struggle for free speech is never over; there may be setbacks and victories, but there will be no final triumph. The battle is perpetual. And law alone is never enough. No legislation can guarantee free speech if the cultural norms supporting it collapse. If free expression is to endure, we must actively foster a culture that allows it to thrive—one that defends dissenters, promotes intellectual diversity, and recognises the bright line separating speech and action. This requires institutional, communal, and individual efforts.
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Jacob Mchangama is the Founder and Executive Director of The Future of Free Speech. He is also a research professor at Vanderbilt University and a Senior Fellow at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).