Century Quote by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
“Ideology - that is what gives evildoing its long-sought justification and gives the evildoer the neccessary steadfastness and determination... Thanks to ideology, the twentieth century was fated to experience evildoing on a scale calculated in the millions.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Gulag Archipelago, 1973
It argues that ideology provides moral justification and resolve for mass atrocities, making large‑scale evil possible.
In simple terms: Ideology fuels large‑scale evil.
Beware of harmful ideologies.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- political movements
- educational programs
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does ideology shape moral choices?
- Can societies detect dangerous ideologies early?
Not all ideologies are harmful; context matters.