Question

Define Seditious Speech and give an example

Answer 1

Any speech that is made with the intention of inciting a violent and unlawful uprising against the administration is called a seditious speech. Such utterances may call for a rebellion against government institutions or its military, thus jeopardizing the internal security of the country.During World War I, Charles Schenck, the leader of the American Socialist Party, attempted to dissuade freshly-drafted soldiers in the US army from serving, by distributing thousands of pamphlets that claimed only the 'ruling classes' would benefit from their sacrifices. While Schenck was charged by the government in 1919, for violating the Espionage Act, which forbade interference in military recruitment, he appealed to the Supreme Court, saying that his right to free speech granted by the First Amendment, was being denied. Finally, the Court ruled in favor of the government, stating that the right to free speech was not limitless, and Schenck's actions had the potential to cause 'clear and present danger' to the administration, which Congress had the right to prevent.