Sedition, << sih DIHSH uhn, >> is an act that stirs up discontent against established government authority. Many countries, including the United States, have tried at times to prevent sedition by law. Americans, however, value the right to criticize government officials and their actions. Therefore, sedition laws are unpopular in peacetime.
In time of war, statements that are likely to hinder the successful progress of the war are dealt with as sedition. Sedition is regarded as a step toward treason. But it does not aim at direct, open violence. The Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918, enforced in the United States mainly during World War I (1914-1918), provided punishment for seditious statements. The laws were used against enemy agents or other persons who tried to undermine the war effort.
