Civil society Quote by Anne Applebaum
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““If the immediate postwar period had been characterized by violent attacks on the existing institutions of civil society, after 1948 the regimes [of Eastern Europe] began instead to create a new system of state-controlled schools and mass organizations which would envelop their citizens from the moment of birth. Once inside this totalitarian system, it was assumed, the citizens of of the communist states would never want or be able to leave it. They were meant to become, in the sarcastic phrasing of an old Soviet dissident, members of the species Homo sovieticus, Soviet man. Not only would Homo Sovieticus never oppose communism; he could never even conceive of opposing communism.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Iron Curtain: The Crushing of Eastern Europe, 2012
Totalitarian regimes shape citizens from birth, creating a mindset that cannot conceive dissent.
In simple terms: State control molds people to accept the system without question.
Key Takeaway
Question imposed narratives and seek independent thought.
Themes
politics
totalitarianism
identity
social control
Mood
somber
analytical
Type
historical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education reform
- civic engagement
- media literacy
Key Concepts
Homo sovieticus
state indoctrination
psychological conditioning
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies foster critical thinking?
- What role does education play in resistance?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑rooted beliefs is a slow, difficult process.
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