Any attempt to impose a position on others, constitutes a violation of the university’s charter

This week, the Room for Discussion was closed because Minister Brekelmans was prevented from speaking. In light of last week’s events, I would urge students, staff and all members of the university community to reread Edward Bulwer Lytton’s Richelieu: Or the Conspiracy, 1839.

Richelieu, King Louis XIII’s spiritual leader, discovers a plot to assassinate him but, as a priest, cannot take up arms against enemies. Francois, his page, says: “But now, at your command are other weapons, my good Lord. Richelieu agrees: the pen is mightier than the sword... Take away the sword; states can be saved without it!”

The stifled word
The word matters. In countries where autocratic leaders rule, they consolidate their power by knocking the pen out of the hands of people with dissenting opinions. It is precisely the autocratic leader who sees the importance of the stifled word. So why should it be okay if protesters stifle conversation at the UvA?

Universities have the function of promoting independent and balanced opinion formation. In that respect, members of the university are arguably worse off when boards take an ‘official’ position. Indeed, those who do not subscribe to this official position will have their freedom restricted by it. Any attempt to impose a position on others constitutes a violation of the university’s charter.

Rabin

After October 7, discussion took place at Dartmouth College in the US based on the proposition: “Never be satisfied with a simple story”. Egyptian novelist and ex-diplomat Ezzedine C. Fishere argued: “Are you trying to understand what is happening, or are you trying to find someone to blame?” People had the right to be outraged, he continued, but students also had the chance to “understand the complexity, which is often unpleasant because we encounter mechanisms we want to avoid”. Peace cannot be established without words; peace is established in (the written) word. And yes, Rabin said in 1993: “You don’t make peace with friends. You make it with very unsavory enemies.”

At the university, the word rules in order to allow free formation of opinions. The university’s right to exist is jeopardised if students, administrators or anyone else proclaims sole authority over the word and who gets to speak it.

Jan Bouwens is full professor of accounting at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the UvA.