Free Speech

A History from Socrates to Social Media

By: Jacob Mchangama

Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi

A global history of free speech, from the ancient world to today

Hailed as the “first freedom,” free speech is the bedrock of democracy. But it is a challenging principle, subject to erosion in times of upheaval. Today, in democracies and authoritarian states around the world, it is on the retreat.

In Free Speech, Jacob Mchangama traces the riveting legal, political, and cultural history of this idea. Through captivating stories of free speech’s many defenders—from the ancient Athenian orator Demosthenes and the ninth-century freethinker al-Rāzī, to the anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells and modern-day digital activists—Mchangama reveals how the free exchange of ideas underlies all intellectual achievement and has enabled the advancement of both freedom and equality worldwide. Yet the desire to restrict speech, too, is a constant, and he explores how even its champions can be led down this path when the rise of new and contrarian voices challenge power and privilege of all stripes.

Meticulously researched and deeply humane, Free Speech demonstrates how much we have gained from this principle—and how much we stand to lose without it.

Critic reviews

“[An] expansive, atypical history… When free speech advances, as [Mchangama] shows, rulers and other elites often grow alarmed and conclude that it has gone “too far.” Long before governments and thinkers panicked about the spread of noxious ideas via social media, they panicked over the spread of noxious ideas via the printing press…Free Speech is addressed especially to the well-meaning among would-be censors. They should know how rarely censorship goes as planned.”—Wall Street Journal

“Mchangama’s conclusions, presented in a crisp and confident march through Western history, are sobering.”—Economist

"Smart, insightful, and astute… Mchangama provides a sweeping and lively account, rich in historical detail from societies around the world, exploring how the forces of authority and control — religious, political, ideological, economic, social, and cultural — relentlessly seek to impose restrictions on what people can think, write, and say, while the human instincts to freely express ourselves, to learn, and to spread new ideas, valiantly and persistently resist."—Los Angeles Review of Books

“[A] tour-de-force… Free Speech covers a lot of ground, offering an account of the history that is at once panoramic and intricately detailed… Most notably, though, Mchangama’s work is profoundly relevant for our current historical moment… What we have is precious—and must be protected and preserved. Gaining a sense of perspective, especially a global one, is precisely what makes Mchangama’s book so essential.”—Washington Monthly

“Engrossing and comprehensive.”—Washington Examiner

"A book that’s this thorough, detailed and balanced is especially valuable now, given our country’s current fit of polarization."—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“A work with no real counterpart, at once vividly told, masterfully researched, and exceptionally executed page after page as the history of free speech breaches the barriers of time to come alive with verve and profundity. Given its breadth and depth, Mchangama’s work may well prove to be one of the most important books on free speech published in our lifetimes — an extraordinary achievement!”—First Amendment News

“[Free Speech makes] a persuasive argument that free discourse is essential to democracy, breaking down systems of oppression, and challenging existing social hierarchies… Readers on both the right and the left seeking insights into modern day debates over free speech will welcome this evenhanded and wide ranging history.”—Publishers Weekly

“A well-structured and compelling examination of the costs and benefits of free speech.”—Kirkus, Starred Review

“A provocative exploration of a transformative political right.”—Booklist, Starred Review

A reaffirmation of a key fundamental right

The author does a fantastic job at documenting the conception and application of a right to free speech from Athenian democracy to the 21st century.

The first two thirds of the book are an informative history of the philosophical, legal, and practical contexts for speech in Ancient Greece, Rome, medieval and modern Europe and the Middle East, and the American colonies/United States. It brings detail to the evolution of free speech and the press in the West in particular.

If you follow international news on democratic backsliding, most of the last few chapters of the book won't give you that much new information. Those are nonetheless a vivid and chilling reminder of the threats free speech faces today in the developed and developing world alike, and why we should not let barriers to speech be raised.

Timely and Vital

This book is a well researched and fairly comprehensive account of the history and value of free-speech. It warns us that this right can and often is eroded in the name of both authoritarianism and tolerance. If you are thin skinned in your ideology on either the left or right, this book will tweak you. I highly recommend it.

Great review of free speech and history

Enjoyed the overall look at free speech, free press, and how these freedoms were viewed over time in different cultures. I felt it was a little left leaning, and the details were difficult to remember for an audiobook. I had to rewind and re-listen a few times. Maybe that’s just me.

Sensational book, problematic reading

Mchangama’s book is everything I had hoped for and more. It lays out the history of free speech elegantly and in fascinating detail. The narrator, while having a fine voice, serves up some excruciating mispronunciations. I run into this problem too often, and the blame lies with the publishers. They seem to have little concern for the excellence of their products. Don’t let that discourage you from buying this fine book.

very informative

This was a good review of free speech. I enjoyed listening to the history of free speech. it wasn't as dry as one might think