Key Difference – Sedition vs Treason
Treason and sedition are terms that are similar in nature and are applied to cases wherein individuals or organizations have acted in defiance of established authorities. Sedition laws have always been in place to allow governments to take coercive action against acts of defiance that are meant to overthrow them. Treason involves acting against the interests of a state and thus confuses many as to whether they should use treason or sedition in a particular context. The key difference between sedition and treason is that the sedition is a crime against one’s own state, and so is treason, but treason is considered far more serious crime than sedition. This article takes a close look at the two words, sedition and treason, to come up with their differences.
What is Sedition?
If you are doing something or saying something that is meant to overthrow the established authority in your country, you are liable to be charged with sedition. To curb their citizens from doing so, many countries of the world have sedition laws in place. In the modern world, merely criticizing the policies of the government in place cannot be treated as sedition because of the freedom of speech. But in years gone by, governments treated their own people badly if they raised their voice against their policies. In fact, anti-sedition laws have been used by some countries to persecute minorities. These laws at times became a tool in the hands of governments to suppress the voices of opposition parties.
Subversion or disrespect of the constitution is often regarded as acts of sedition. There was a time when some people in US were charged with sedition when they burned national flags to show their displeasure against the Vietnam War.
What is Treason?
Treason is a concept that overlaps with sedition. It refers to acts of brazen defiance against one’s own government in a bid to bring harm or to overthrow the government in place. If you owe allegiance to your government but do something to overthrow the government or betray your state by harming its interests and by helping an enemy state, you are liable to be charged with treason. In earlier times, a servant killing his master or a wife running away with another man were considered as examples of treason. But in modern times, the act of a citizen that helps a foreign government to overthrow the government in place is considered an act of treason. Compromising with the security interests of one’s own country by helping an enemy state is also treason. Obviously declaring a war against one’s government in place is an act of treason.
What is the difference between Sedition and Treason?
• Sedition is a crime against one’s own state, and so is treason, but treason is considered far more serious crime than sedition.
• Speaking against the government or engaging in acts of defiance are termed as sedition and anti-sedition laws are applied on such individuals or organizations.
• In modern times, freedom of speech protects the right of individuals and governments cannot take action against their citizens merely on grounds of defiance or opposition.
• Espionage and helping the enemy state to overthrow one’s own government is considered treason.
• Burning national flag was seditious act in US a few decades ago but today it has been ruled legitimate by SC as part of the freedom of speech of the citizens.
• In general, treason is a more serious offence than sedition.
Saying that treason is a more serious offense is not helpful and nonsensical without saying why. Here is the difference between treason and sedition, as laid out in this article which, for some strange reason, were not stated explicitly.
Treason is an attempt to overthrow one’s own government by acting in the interests of or with the help of a foreign government.
Sedition is an attempt to overthrow the current government without any foreign influence intervening.
Foreign involvement or not makes the difference between using the word ‘treason’ or the word ‘sedition’ in describing an attempt to overthrow a legitimate government.
The Obama administration engaged in sedition for sure. The fact that they used assets in the UK, Ukraine and Australia makes it come amazingly close to treason except those governments evidenced no interest in taking control of the country but perhaps in currying favor with who they thought would be President. Illegal and unlawful and without integrity but those foreign entities will have to deal internally with their lawbreakers and have earned this administrations enmity.
Oxford Dictionary
Se·di·tion
[səˈdiSH(ə)n]
NOUN
Conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.
For example, Donald Trump (and his cronies) incited people, by his words and conduct, to Rebel against the U.S. Government and it’s Free and Fair Election. He has committed, on several occasions, acts of “Sedition”.
Trea·son
[ˈtrēzən]
NOUN
The crime of betraying one’s country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government.
For example, Donald Trump (and his cronies) attempted to overthrow the U.S. Government by trying to stop and overturn a Free and Fair Election and have himself reinstated as President (essentially a coup).
In other words, Sedition is conduct or speech inciting people to Rebel, whereas Treason is actually doing it, by planning and/or attempting to overthrow the Government.
This is why Donald Trump, his sons and his cronies, are all guilty of both Sedition and Treason.
Don’t bother to argue with me as I am a 42-year constitutional attorney. I know what I am talking about. You do not.
Thank you Jack.
A keen observation of the limited or non-existent explanation of sedition vs. treason provided in the above article.
I could much more easily grok your parsimonious explanation of the difference between the two concepts and I appreciate your astuteness.
Dominic
The Treason Clause applies only to disloyal acts committed during times of war. Acts of dis-loyalty during peacetime are not considered treasonous under the Constitution. Nor do acts of Espionage committed on behalf of an ally constitute treason. For example, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of espionage, in 1951, for helping the Soviet Union steal atomic secrets from the United States during World War II. The Rosenbergs were not tried for treason because the United States and the Soviet Union were allies during World War II.