Fortunately, a great number of tolerances are set by society itself and become normalised over time. Like table manners. It wasn't until Tudor times for example that 'the release of wind' at the dinner table became frowned upon. There's still no law against it, but most of us would now agree that letting rip at table is unacceptable! However, it's sometimes necessary for our leaders either to enforce tolerance or stimulate debate about it. Leaders who allow debate to inform the evolution of society's tolerances are often more successful than those who impose tolerances – as Brecht's famous dictator, Arturo Ui, said: 'No man, unless forced, will tolerate coercion.' Although force can seem the easy option when faced with a complex debate, as Voltaire observed: 'it would be easier to subjugate the entire universe through force than to subjugate the minds of a single village.'
     Last month, the Archbishop of Canterbury fell foul of the fine line between debate and prescription. Instead of inviting discussion on British society embracing other cultures' laws, he appeared to have reset the tolerances of the Anglican church through acceptance of certain aspects of Sharia law. The public felt that a new tolerance had been thrust upon them and they balked.
     But was Rowan Williams wrong? Was David Blunkett wrong? If they were wrong, what would have been right? Few of us would ever completely agree. But maybe science can help us again: to find the tolerance of a material requires much testing, under different stresses and in different environments. Society is no different. Personal tolerance is amazingly high and variable, but diminishes quickly when people feel it has been imposed. The most successful way, therefore, to build tolerance into society is to help people choose to be tolerant, through constant testing and reshaping of ideas. This responsibility should be particularly felt by our leaders, who can set aspirational goals and allow the public to mould them into a wider field of acceptability. In much the same way as a piece of metal, test something beyond its tolerance and, if it doesn't break, it may never return to its original form. And so life moves on.
     But whatever happens, tolerance should never be without tolerances. A limitlessly tolerant society runs the risk of becoming a 'friendly abyss' – a gentle, welcoming society tolerant of all things. Including, ironically, intolerance.

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