Explaining liberalism to "liberals"
Jun 3, 2013
Bishop Hill in Climate: Parliament

Toby Young has an excellent reponse to Ed Davey in the Telegraph, explaining some of the basics of liberalism to the (ostensibly liberal) climate change secretary. "John Stuart Mill", Young seems to be saying; "might be worth a read".

Even if we put the moral objections to state censorship to one side, there's a good practical reason for not muzzling your intellectual opponents. As JS Mill points out in On Liberty, either they are right, in which case you shouldn't try and suppress the truth, or they are wrong, in which case you have nothing to fear from the publication of their views since their wrong-headedness will then be plain for everyone to see. If Ed Davey really believes that the truth is on his side in this debate, he should encourage his opponents to air their views in public as often as possible, not criticise "some sections of the press" for giving them a platform.

28gate gets a mention.

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