“Full freedom of speech and expression prevails in our country, and freedom of assembly and association is guaranteed.”

—  Václav Havel

New Year's Address to the Nation (1991)

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Václav Havel photo
Václav Havel126
playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and 1st President of … 1936–2011

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Context: Everyone is free to write and say whatever he likes, without any restrictions. But every voluntary association (including the party) is also free to expel members who use the name of the party to advocate anti-party views. Freedom of speech and the press must be complete. But then freedom of association must be complete too. I am bound to accord you, in the name of free speech, the full right to shout, lie and write to your heart’s content. But you are bound to grant me, in the name of freedom of association, the right to enter into, or withdraw from, association with people advocating this or that view. The party is a voluntary association, which would inevitably break up, first ideologically and then physically, if it did not cleanse itself of people advocating anti-party views.

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