1930 Quote by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
““What the engineers had first seen in the October coup d'état was ruin. (And for three years there had been ruin and nothing else.) Beyond that, they had seen the loss of even the most elementary freedoms. (And these freedoms never returned.) How, then, could engineers not have wanted a democratic republic? How could engineers accept the dictatorship of the workers, the dictatorship of their subordinates in industry, so little skilled or trained and comprehending neither the physical nor the economic laws of production, but now occupying the top positions, from which they supervised the engineers? Why shouldn't the engineers have considered it more natural for the structure of society to be headed by those who could intelligently direct its activity?””
About This Quote
Source Book: The First Circle, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1968
Engineers, witnessing ruin and loss of freedoms, naturally desire democratic governance over dictatorial control.
In simple terms: Engineers seek freedom and rational leadership.
Key Takeaway
Support democratic structures.
Themes
freedom
democracy
engineer ethics
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- industrial leadership
- education reforms
Key Concepts
political philosophy
social responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- What role should engineers play in politics?
- How can expertise balance with democratic input?
A Different Perspective
Complex societies may resist pure technocracy.
