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In modern democratic societies, there is no value in censorship. Do you agree?
Censorship is no new concept today. Dating back to the 16th century, Spanish censors placed constraints on various publications such as books and music. Strict laws were implemented, and those who published works with heretical intent would ultimately end up in the hangman’s scaffold. Though such restrictions may have been essential in preserving peace and prosperity in the past, one questions its value in modern day democracies, where freedom is advocated and the population is generally literate. Censorship, it seems, has no other purpose than to curtail the intellectual development of society and impede its appreciation of the Arts. While we cannot deny the validity of these arguments, it is essential that we also consider the importance of censorship in modern day societies, even as conflicting ideas exist between the two.
For starters, censorship goes against the very fundamentals of a democracy – freedom. Via censorship, authoritative bodies screen out written and other forms of information that it deems unsuitable for the general public. In this way, censorship compromises on the rights people in a democracy are entitled to, needless to say of those living in modern democracies, where the idea of freedom should already be deeply entrenched. The society in modern democracies should have the right to use their own discretion and choose what kind of information they wish to expose themselves to. By censoring the media, publications, and other forms of expression, censorship is but a slap to the face of democracy and its ideals of freedom of expression and press.
Moreover, the population in modern, democratic societies tends to be more educated than their counterparts in other countries. This is because modern democracies generally have a sound education system, as shown by countries such as Finland, which topped the primary education and higher education sections in the ‘Global Competiveness report 2007-2008.’ Hence, the population is likely to be more discerning in its viewing. They are able to disseminate information and know what is right and wrong. For example, they are unlikely to imitate scenes from violent movies such as ‘Sweeney Todd’ or ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ because they are able differentiate fact from fiction, and weigh the consequences of their actions. They are also able to choose types of media to avoid, such as films which have the intention to titillate the audience. Thus, they are able to practice self-censorship and the value of censorship in modern democracies is once again questioned.
As mentioned, the above arguments resonate across many modern democracies around the world. However, we must not simply send censorship to the noose, for it still plays a vital role in many modern democracies in the world due to the evolution of multi-cultural societies, globalization, and modern technological advances.
In a country’s metamorphosis into a modern, democratic nation, it is likely to face a number of societal changes. In a nation brimming with opportunities, it is not unusual for many foreigners seeking a better life to flock to these countries. These foreigners hope to establish themselves in a land with which offers them more opportunities for success. With the influx of foreign workers and their descendants, society tends to become more multi-racial and multi-cultural. There is now a greater need for censorship in such countries. This is because any racial or religious remarks may incite unrest or violence. Hence, certain laws of censorship must be abided by to ensure stability and prosperity. Some countries such as Singapore and Malaysia take a step further and introduced the Internal Security Act, which allows detainment of individuals who threaten the stability of society without trial. The recent arrest of bloggers in Singapore who posted negative racial remarks on this weblog further accentuates the importance which modern democratic countries place on censorship.
Modern democratic societies tend to have few shortcomings on their communications infrastructure. This, coupled with the highly connected nature of the world today, has made censorship all the more important in modern, democratic countries. This is because the types of freedom generally accepted in such countries may not be acceptable in other countries due to a difference in ideology or maturity of the different societies. People in modern democracies may feel that they are simply expressing their opinion on an issue because they have the right to do so, but they are often apathetic to the concerns of others. Thus, hurtful, damning, and vicious remarks can be viewed by many outside of these countries from which they were originally posted, possibly inciting a regional uproar. The recent Danish cartoons featuring the Prophet Muhammad sparked a global response condemning the cartoon as it grossly misinterprets the prophet’s nature. Not only did the Danish press suffer heavy damage, the Danish economy also slid as those in the Islamic world boycotted Danish goods. With the power of globalization looming over these countries, censorship is of value in modern democratic societies. It not only maintains internal stability of the nation as mentioned above, it also aids in improving relations with other countries.
The term ‘modern’ suggests that the democratic societies under consideration should have a substantial level of technology. The advent of the internet has opened countless dimensions. Information can now be obtained through the click of a mouse. Thus, many people, including impressionable youths and children, are exposed to violent and pornographic content. These youths are more likely to be influenced by such ideas as they lack the maturity to fully comprehend the nature of such images. Censorship is implemented in such cases to restrict the availability of certain content to specific age groups. Singapore has various levels of censorship, with the most prominent being the censorship of films. Homegrown director Royston Tan’s film ‘15’, a film on members of a Singapore street gang, had to be cut 27 times. Hence censorship is vital in protecting our youths from the clutches of these demonic hues. How can we then say that censorship has no value in modern democratic societies?
In conclusion, it is too simplistic to state that there is no value in censorship in modern democracies when in fact; censorship may have more value and purpose than ever before. Although we must consider the stunning anomalies that exist in a democratic nation which embraces censorship, it seems that as a nation develops and grows, it can never obliterate censorship totally if it wants to maintain a peaceful society.