Freedom of Expression in the US Constitution: Formation and Development

  • O. V. Sendetskaya Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University
Keywords: freedom of expression, freedom of thought, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, rights and freedoms of a man and citizen, American constitutionalism, restriction of freedom of expression

Abstract

The essence of such rights as the right to freedom of expression and the right to freedom of speech has been analyzed. Based on the United States regulations, the author has compared approaches to understanding and interpreting freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

Freedom of expression has been studied as one of the dominant values of constitutionalism, a precondition for democracy and the rule of law. Historical aspects of the formulation of the right to freedom of speech in the United States of America, as well as its consistent regulatory enshrinement and interpretation have been analyzed. Different approaches to the constitutional proclamation of the freedom of speech have been researched and the optimal formulation of the said law has been clarified. Particular attention has been paid to the differences between American and European concepts of freedom of expression, and fundamentally different points in its understanding.

The importance of banning the oppression of freedom of expression for the development of a democratic society and the market for ideas has been substantiated.

Particular attention has been paid to the study of the formation and development of these rights under US law and their enactment. Based on a comparison of American and Ukrainian options for guaranteeing this right, their advantages and disadvantages have been highlighted, which may assist in gaining positive experience for Ukraine.

The author has made conclusions regarding the higher level of guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression and freedom of speech in the practice of the United States, although these rights are more detail enshrined in Ukrainian law.

The author has argued in favor of the fact that Ukraine should take into account the American approach to the protection of the right to freedom of expression and freedom of speech, as well as to establish a mechanism for their observance as fundamental personal human and civil rights.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

O. V. Sendetskaya, Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University

Department of constitutional law of Ukraine;
graduate student.

References

Slіnko T.M., 2018. Guaranteeing freedom of expression as an element of modern constitutionalism [Harantuvannia svobody slova yak element suchasnoho konstytutsionalizmu]. Pravo Ukraïni – Law of Ukraine, No. 4, pp. 108-125.

Rechytskyi V.V., 2012. The political subject of the constitution [Polіtychnyi predmet konstitutsіi]. Kyiv: Dukh i litera.

Strohan A.Yu., 2008. Citizens' right to freedom of expression and thought in national and international legal acts: a comparative analysis [Pravo hromadianyna na svobodu slova ta dumky v natsіonalnykh ta mіzhnarodnykh normatyvno-pravovykh aktakh: porіvnialnyi analiz]. Ekonomika ta deržava – Ekonomika ta derzhava, [online] No. 6, pp. 91-93. Available at http://www.economy.in.ua/pdf/6_2008/27.pdf [Accessed 7 December 2019].

Slіn'ko T.M., Kushnіrenko O.G., 2012. Freedom of speech in a democracy [Svoboda slova v usloviyakh narodovlastiya]. In: Vitruk N.V., Barabash Yu.G. and Nudnenko L.A. (eds). The constitutional and legal foundations of democracy in Russia and Ukraine [Konstitutsionno-pravovye osnovy narodovlastiya v Rossii i Ukraine]. Kharkiv: Pravo. Pp. 157-183.

Slіnko T.M., 2013. Constitutional and legal guarantees of freedom of expression in Ukraine [Konstytutsіino-pravovі harantіi svobody slova v Ukraini]. In: National Academy of Law of Ukraine. Legal doctrine – the basis for the formation of the legal system of the state [Pravova doktryna – osnova formuvannia pravovoi systemy derzhavy]. Kharkiv 20-21 November. Kharkiv: Natsionalna akademiia pravovykh nauk Ukrainy.

Haiek F.A., 1990. Free society [Obshchestvo svobodnykh]. London. (Ed.: Kolker Yu.).

Horbatiuk V. (Transl.), 2009. Inaugural speeches by the US Presidents [Іnavhuratsіini promovy Prezydentіv SShA]. Kharkiv: Folio.

Rechytskyi V., 2015. The alphabet of democracy: freedom of speech [Abetka demokratіi: svoboda slova]. [online] Human Rights in Ukraine. Information Website of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group. Available at http://khpg.org/index.php?id=1444648761 [Accessed 7 December 2019].

Which means freedom of speech for Americans: three cases from the practice of the US Supreme Court [Chto oznachaet dlia amerikantsev svoboda slova: tri dela iz praktiki Verkhovnoho suda SShA]. [online] Share America. Available at http//share.america.gov/ru/three-cases-show-free-speech-means/ [Accessed 7 December 2019].

Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969). [online] JUSTIA. US Supreme Court. Available at https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/395/444/ [Accessed 7 December 2019].

Rechytskyi V., 2014. Constitutionalism. Short version (a reader on constitutionalism for the interested) [Konstytutsіonalіzm. Korotka versіia (chytanka z konstytutsіonalіzmu dlia zatsіkavlenykh]. Kharkiv: Prava liudyny.

Kertli D., 2003. The legal foundations of the free press in the United States [Pravovye osnovy svobodnoi pressy v Soedinennykh Shtatah]. Global'nye problemy, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 9-13.

Press Freedom Index 2008. [online] Reporters without borders for press freedom. Available at https://rsf.org/en/world-press-freedom-index-2008 [Accessed 7 December 2019].

Rechitskii V.V., 2007. Symbolic reality and law [Simvolicheskaya real'nost' i pravo]. Lviv: VNTL-Klasika.

Published
2019-12-20
How to Cite
Sendetskaya, O. V. (2019) “Freedom of Expression in the US Constitution: Formation and Development”, Law and Safety, 75(4), pp. 30-37. doi: 10.32631/pb.2019.4.03.
Section
NATIONAL SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS