That’s one of ten questions The Observer has asked a panel of politicians, activists and “thinkers” as part of a special coverage of the Why Democracy? project. The backbone of the project is ten documentary films which will be broadcast on TV in more than 40 countries starting next weekend. One of the people behind the project, Nick Fraser, gives more background in a separate piece. And the answers to that question? Here’s Nick Cohen:
If the worst fears about Islamist terrorism come true in the West, it won’t destroy democracy but will threaten civil liberties. Benjamin Franklin said you should never choose between liberty and security, but societies under attack always do, and they always put security first.
