The Most Essential Value of Free Expression

Why America is So Great 

America is unlike any country. We have freedoms and privileges people around the world dream of. An important aspect of America is the different values of freedoms set in place. There are eight Values of Freedom: Discovery of Truth, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-Fulfillment, Check on Governmental Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote Innovation and Protect Dissent. 

The Most Important 

The most important Value of Freedom is the Discovery of Truth, which is otherwise known as the "marketplace of ideas". This was proposed by John Milton in his book Areopagitica. Milton argued that it was wrong to require a license to print. He explained that truth will always win over falsehood, thus every idea should be allowed to be expressed. 

While the discovery of truth is at the core of all the other values of free expression, the next two are just as important. Promoting Innovation and Individual Self-Fulfillment are keys to promoting the general welfare of society.  Promoting Innovation regards the spurring of creativity and energy within the community and Individual Self-Fulfillment encompasses the idea that free speech enables individuals to express themselves and create an identity for themselves, which adds diversity to society.