Christopher HillThinkers

Censorship (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠dropped in England in 1695 not on libertarian principle but because it was no longer needed: the opinion-formers now censored themselves.

Censorship (n.) could ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be allowed to lapse in England once the rabble was beaten, because opinion-formers now censored themselves: nothing reached print that frightened the men of property.