Paradox of tolerance
Popper posited that if intolerant ideologies are allowed unchecked expression, they could exploit open society values to erode or destroy tolerance itself through authoritarian or oppressive practices.
The paradox has been widely discussed within ethics and political philosophy, with varying views on how tolerant societies should respond to intolerant forces.
Other thinkers, such as Michael Walzer, have examined how minority groups, which may hold intolerant beliefs, are nevertheless beneficiaries of tolerance within pluralistic societies.
This paradox raises complex issues about the limits of freedom, especially concerning free speech and the protection of liberal democratic values.
It has implications for contemporary debates on managing hate speech, political extremism, and social policies aimed at fostering inclusivity without compromising the integrity of democratic tolerance.
Plato argues that true democracy inevitably leads to tyranny, and suggests that the rule of an enlightened "philosopher-king" (cf.
[2] Popper rejects Plato's argument, in part because he argues that there are no readily available "enlightened philosopher-kings" prepared to adopt this role, and advocates for the institutions of liberal democracies as an alternative.
In 1801, Thomas Jefferson addressed the notion of a tolerant society in his first inaugural speech as President of the United States.
[6] Preston King describes tolerance as occurring when one objects to but voluntarily endures certain acts, ideas, organisations and identities.
Holocaust denial) are characterized as inherently socially disruptive, and are subject to legal constraints on their circulation as such,[14] while the US has ruled that such materials are protected by the principle of freedom of speech and press in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, and cannot be restricted except when incitement to violence or other illegal activities is made explicit.
[21] In a 2022 book Zac Gershberg and Sean Illing argue that the accessibility of communications media potentiates the paradox of democracy.
They draw from historical examples such as isegoria (equal access to the civic discourse) in ancient Athens and the development of book publishing in Europe.
