The economics of free speech: Subjective wellbeing and empowerment of marginalized citizens

Abstract

We analyse whether people value free speech differently depending on their resources (income or education levels). Our analysis includes both stated preferences towards free speech and the realized relationship of free speech with people's subjective wellbeing. In each case, we test whether free speech is a ‘luxury good’ valued more highly by high-income earners and the well-educated, or a ‘necessary good’ valued more highly by those with fewer resources. The analysis uses two population survey datasets (World Values Survey and Latino Barometer) and two datasets covering country-level free speech and human rights measures (CIRIGHTS and VDEM). The analyses control for country and wave fixed effects, personal and macroeconomic factors, and for other human rights. We find that, when surveyed, individuals with greater resources place greater stated priority on freedom of speech, but it is individuals with fewer resources who realize the greatest benefits from free speech.