---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Given the right conditions any society…"
description: "\"Given the right conditions any society can turn against democracy.\" — Anne Applebaum"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/anne-applebaum-2544_against_given-the-right-conditions-any-society-c_2111220.png"
---

#  Given the right conditions any society can turn against…

![“Given the right conditions any society can turn against democracy.” quote by Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/anne-applebaum-2544_against_given-the-right-conditions-any-society-c_2111220.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/anne-applebaum-2544_against_given-the-right-conditions-any-society-c_2111220.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/anne-applebaum-2544_against_given-the-right-conditions-any-society-c_2111220.png)

> “Given the right conditions any society can turn against democracy.”

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Societal conditions can erode democratic norms, leading to authoritarian shifts.

**In simple terms:** Conditions can destroy democracy.

Key Takeaway

Guard democratic institutions.

Themes

politics society democracy vigilance

Mood

cautious urgent

Type

analytical warning

When to use this quote

- elections
- media freedom
- public discourse

Key Concepts

authoritarianism civic health

Questions to Reflect On

- What safeguards protect democracy?
- How can citizens resist authoritarian trends?

A Different Perspective

Democracy also requires active citizen participation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/)

## Related quotes

> [Given the right conditions, any society can turn against democracy. Indeed, if history is anything to go by, all societies eventually will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/given-the-right-conditions-any-society-can-turn-against-democracy/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [“For they amount to this: that if we are to produce a society of educated people, fitted to preserve their intellectual freedom amid the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/for-they-amount-to-this-that-if-we-are-to-produce-a-society-of/)

[Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/)

> [“Never allow society to turn you into a person you are not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/never-allow-society-to-turn-you-into-a-person-you-are-not/)

[Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/)

> [“Never let society to turn you into a grain of sand on the beach! Be different, be individual! Refuse to look alike with others!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/never-let-society-to-turn-you-into-a-grain-of-sand-on-the-beach-be/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“And that is the terrible myth of organized society, that everything that's done through the established system is legal -- and that word has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-m-kunstler/and-that-is-the-terrible-myth-of-organized-society-that-everything/)

William M. Kunstler

> [President Trump also mentioned that under the right conditions, he is willing to engage in dialogue with North Korea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-jae-in/president-trump-also-mentioned-that-under-the-right-conditions-he-is/)

[Moon Jae-in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-jae-in/)

> [Don't wait for the right conditions. All you need for your growth is available to you in this moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shri-radhe-maa/don-t-wait-for-the-right-conditions-all-you-need-for-your-growth-is/)

[Shri Radhe Maa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shri-radhe-maa/)

> [Breaking the world record has always been in the works. I just need the right conditions and I can make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-clay/breaking-the-world-record-has-always-been-in-the-works-i-just-need/)

[Bryan Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-clay/)

> [We cannot have right virtue without right conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/we-cannot-have-right-virtue-without-right-conditions/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [“You can only make magic if you act at the right time when the right conditions are in place”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/you-can-only-make-magic-if-you-act-at-the-right-time-when-the-right/)

[Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/)

> [People can become anything under the right conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-pringle/people-can-become-anything-under-the-right-conditions/)

[Phil Pringle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-pringle/)

> [You should feel that, under the right conditions, all women would be available.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-newton/you-should-feel-that-under-the-right-conditions-all-women-would-be/)

[Helmut Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-newton/)

> [“under the right conditions, the problems of commitment, alignment, motivation, and change just melt away. They largely take care of themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/under-the-right-conditions-the-problems-of-commitment-alignment/)

[James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/)

> [“Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right But Sometimes In Life we're Given The Right To Be Wrong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pinkii-j/two-wrongs-don-t-make-a-right-but-sometimes-in-life-we-re-given-the/)

Pinkii J

> [The right to keep and bear arms is a God-given right protected by the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/the-right-to-keep-and-bear-arms-is-a-god-given-right-protected-by-the/)

[Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/)

## More by Anne Applebaum

> [Quite a lot has been written, including by me, about the effect of social media on politics, and in particular the way in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/quite-a-lot-has-been-written-including-by-me-about-the-effect-of/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [After Trump became president, it was really too late to investigate his dodgy investments in Azerbaijan or his links to Russian money laundering. Those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/after-trump-became-president-it-was-really-too-late-to-investigate/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [If Reagan and John Paul II were linked by anything, it was a grand, ambitious, and generous idea of Western political civilization, one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/if-reagan-and-john-paul-ii-were-linked-by-anything-it-was-a-grand/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [Until the attack on Pearl Harbor, isolationism was an important, even dominant strand in U.S. politics. After the Second World War, this strand disappeared,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/until-the-attack-on-pearl-harbor-isolationism-was-an-important-even/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [The U.S.S.R. was a totalitarian state in which judges and prosecutors were controlled by the ruling party. The result was injustice, oppression and corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-u-s-s-r-was-a-totalitarian-state-in-which-judges-and-prosecutors/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [One knows, of course, that Donald Trump behaves differently from the leaders of other countries, especially the leaders of other Western democracies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/one-knows-of-course-that-donald-trump-behaves-differently-from-the/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [As a nation, we are not good at long-term planning, and no wonder: Our political system insists that every president be allowed to appoint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/as-a-nation-we-are-not-good-at-long-term-planning-and-no-wonder-our/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [Amazingly, quite a few people, even some American conservatives, are taken in by Russian tactics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/amazingly-quite-a-few-people-even-some-american-conservatives-are/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [Like wealth, or health, political freedom may simply be something that people don't value if they've always had it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/like-wealth-or-health-political-freedom-may-simply-be-something-that/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [Unlike most European countries, the police in the US are decentralized; even the FBI has regional offices. Amending the constitution is a long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/unlike-most-european-countries-the-police-in-the-us-are-decentralized/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [The hard truth is that Trump was not exceptional. He was just another amoral Western businessman, one of many whom the ex-KGB elite have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/the-hard-truth-is-that-trump-was-not-exceptional-he-was-just-another/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [Politics in Slovakia had long been a battle between egotistical men. Caputova sought to be the anti-ego alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/politics-in-slovakia-had-long-been-a-battle-between-egotistical-men/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [European security may now depend on Germany, France, Britain and one or two others, and it's better to start planning now for the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/european-security-may-now-depend-on-germany-france-britain-and-one-or/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [Americans might not want to intervene in the outside world, but the outside world will still want to intervene in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/americans-might-not-want-to-intervene-in-the-outside-world-but-the/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

> [Romney was an excellent businessman with a strong record as a public servant - whereas Trump inherited wealth, went bankrupt more than once, created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/romney-was-an-excellent-businessman-with-a-strong-record-as-a-public/)

[Anne Applebaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

[Explore all 161 Anne Applebaum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/)

## More Against quotes

> [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/)

[David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/)

[Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/)

> [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/)

[Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/)

> [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/)

[Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/)

> [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/)

[Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/)

> [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/)

[Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/)

> [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/)

[Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/)

> [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/)

[Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/)

> [I don't have any regrets or hold any grudge against anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooper-kupp/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-or-hold-any-grudge-against-anyone/)

[Cooper Kupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooper-kupp/)

> [Ronaldo will always score against everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-chiellini/ronaldo-will-always-score-against-everyone/)

[Giorgio Chiellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-chiellini/)

> [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/)

[Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/)

> [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/)

Joe Pitts

> [It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. We played against them so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saku-koivu/it-goes-way-way-back-when-we-were-under-sweden-s-rule-we-always-think/)

[Saku Koivu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saku-koivu/)

> [I'm against unanswerable concentrations of power, whether that be government or private industry or religious figures - anybody who is not accountable to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-m-against-unanswerable-concentrations-of-power-whether-that-be/)

[Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/)

> [I'm an Indian and I shall not do anything that goes against my ethos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-m-an-indian-and-i-shall-not-do-anything-that-goes-against-my-ethos/)

[Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/)

Browse all 2,190 Against quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Given the right conditions any society can turn against democracy.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Anne Applebaum"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/given-the-right-conditions-any-society-can-turn-against-democracy-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Against"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/given-the-right-conditions-any-society-can-turn-against-democracy-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/anne-applebaum-2544_against_given-the-right-conditions-any-society-c_2111220.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/anne-applebaum-2544_against_given-the-right-conditions-any-society-c_2111220.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/anne-applebaum-2544_against_given-the-right-conditions-any-society-c_2111220.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Given the right conditions any society can turn against democracy.” — Anne Applebaum",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Anne Applebaum",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-applebaum/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Given the right conditions any society...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/given-the-right-conditions-any-society-can-turn-against-democracy-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-applebaum/given-the-right-conditions-any-society-can-turn-against-democracy-2/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
