The Way Democracy Works: The Impact of Hate Speech Prosecution of a Politician on Citizens' Satisfaction With Democratic Performance
Joost van Spanje, Claes H. de Vreese · International Journal of Public Opinion Research · 2013
The free and fair competition for political power and support is generally considered a necessary condition for democracy (e.g., Dahl, 1971). However, in democratic systems political competition is restricted in various ways. Most importantly, particular political ideas—for example, communism, or Nazism—may be ruled out as bases for political contestation. A common way of excluding ideas is to prosecute politicians who publicly express them (Ingraham, 1979; Kirchheimer, 1961). Nowadays, such prosecution is often based on bans on so-called “hate speech” (United Nations International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 1965). Authorities usually justify the prosecution of politicians by claiming that it serves to combat the diffusion of reprehensible political ideas such as racism (United Nations International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 1965). Justified or not, their prosecution may keep politicians from being elected, and may prevent citizens from electing whomever they wish, or on whatever platform they wish. Political competition is thus restricted in these cases.