Why is freedom of expression so fundamental to democracy

Complete 5 pages APA formatted article: Why is freedom of expression so fundamental to democracy. It should be realized that this resolution was made before any other in the history of the UN.

Freedom of expression is very important in creating the right environment for democracy to work and thrive. Considering that democracy involves creating society where public participation is enhanced, freedom of expression is seen to play a major role in creating this important aspect in decision making. Democracy calls for the involvement of all citizens in the affairs of the country. In this case, the citizens cannot really participate in the democratic process if they do not have the right to access information. In the same way, the masses should have the freedom to express their views and opinions freely without any fear of reprimand (GHREN).

In most cases freedom of expression is only viewed in relation to human dignity. However, it should be realized that it is also important to enhance such aspects like participation, democracy and accountability in the society. In this case any violations on the freedom of expression have direct impact on the ability of the people to participate and associate in the general democratic process. Across the world, several situations abound where civilizations have struggled to secure the right to express themselves. While this freedom is taken for granted in most developed countries, it is not actually the case in many developing societies across the world. There are still many violations on the freedom of expression realized in many countries. The suppression of the ability of the people to express their views is always seen to be a major impediment to the realization of democracy.

Much progress has been made in the process of securing freedom of expression in many societies across the world.