Mikhail Gorbachev Quotes

Whatever crushes individuality is despotism.

The more complete the despotism, the more smoothly all things move on the surface.

The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.

Tyrants are seldom free; the cares and the instruments of their tyranny enslave them.

A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.

this monster, this Colossus of Despotism ... a deep laid scheme to enslave us.

Such is the terror--the crushing fear--which is inspired by one man over that multitude, which now submits to his decrees with a zeal, apparently as ardent, as it is certainly abject and submissive. There is not a complaint heard. The calm and dark waters of despotism are never disturbed by the slightest ripple. Not a breath of free thought or manly speech passes over them, but they lie dead and deep, into which every vestige of the people's liberty and freedom has sunk and disappeared.

An oppressive government is worse than a man-eating tiger.

If ... America is to become an empire, there is very little chance that it can avoid becoming a virtual dictatorship as well.

Fear must rule in a despotism.

A democratic despotism is like a theocracy: it assumes its own correctness.

Under the rule of a repressive whole, liberty can be made into a powerful instrument of domination.

If you think of yourselves as helpless and ineffectual, it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master. The wise despot, therefore, maintains among his subjects a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual.

An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.

Secrecy is the freedom tyrants dream of.

Conquerors never, never conquer a nation to bring freedom. They brought control.

Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men.

Democracy passes into despotism.

Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty.

Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people.

One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes a revolution in order to establish a dictatorship.

Under a dictatorship, a nation ceases to exist. All that remains is a fiefdom, a planet of slaves regimented by aliens from outer space.

It is from weakness that people reach for dictators and concentrated government power. Only the strong can be free. And only the productive can be strong.

I fear that, tired of anarchy, you may hope at the end for a return of oppression and that you may welcome the yoke of the first fortunate adventurer who shows up, who, far from consolidating your destiny, will only prolong your servitude

I admit that what you have just heard might be for the welfare of the country, were it not that the presence of despotism are always dangerous.