The tolerance paradox is the idea that a tolerant society must be intolerant of intolerance to survive. It was first articulated by philosopher Karl Popper in The Open Society and Its Enemies (1945). The paradox states:
Popper argued tolerating those who seek to suppress others’ freedoms (e.g., through violence, hate speech, or authoritarianism) leads to the erosion of tolerance itself. Therefore, a truly open society must set limits—though only when intolerance threatens fundamental rights & democratic values.
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To preserve a tolerant society, it must be willing to act against intolerance when necessary.