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Lifestyle
Dan Taylor, Lecturer in Social and Political Thought, The Open University

How 17th century's Britain's 'cancel culture' can help us understand the importance of free speech

United Nations United States England John Milton
Usually carried out in a public context, book burning is a method of censoring cultural, religious or political opposition. Shutterstock/Collin Hawley

Free speech is the right to express one’s opinions without censorship or restraint. It is a cornerstone of modern liberal democracies. Nowadays, it is considered a basic right in the UN’s 1948 Declaration of Human Rights and it is is enshrined in British law.

Yet, free speech is neither historically well established nor widespread.

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