--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We used to think British people could…" description: "\"“We used to think British people could never become Fascists, or Fascist collaborators. But they can. I suppose anybody can, given the right set of cir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/c-j-sansom-22985_british-people_we-used-to-think-british-people-could-ne_3159918.jpg" --- # We used to think British people could never become… ![“We used to think British people could never become Fascists, or Fascist collaborators. But they can. I suppose anybody can, given the right set of circumstances.” quote by C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/c-j-sansom-22985_british-people_we-used-to-think-british-people-could-ne_3159918.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/c-j-sansom-22985_british-people_we-used-to-think-british-people-could-ne_3159918.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/c-j-sansom-22985_british-people_we-used-to-think-british-people-could-ne_3159918.jpg) > ““We used to think British people could never become Fascists, or Fascist collaborators. But they can. I suppose anybody can, given the right set of circumstances.”” [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even societies deemed resistant can succumb to extremist ideologies when circumstances align, showing human vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Anyone can become extremist under right conditions. Key Takeaway Recognize and mitigate risky environments. Themes history psychology extremism Mood cautionary thought‑provoking Type literary analytical When to use this quote - political analysis - community building - education policy - media monitoring Key Concepts Social influence authoritarianism group dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What conditions foster radicalization? - How can societies prevent extremist shifts? A Different Perspective Extremist ideas may never fully disappear; vigilance is ongoing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [British people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-people/) [Fascism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascism/) [Fascist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascist/) [Fascists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascists/) ## Related quotes > [“It is already apparent that the word 'Fascist' will be one of the hardest-worked words in the Presidential campaign. Henry Wallace called some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white-2/it-is-already-apparent-that-the-word-fascist-will-be-one-of-the/) [E.B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white-2/) > [“The further Fascism receded into history and the fewer visible fascists there were on display, the more self-proclaimed anti-fascists needed fascism to retain any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-murray/the-further-fascism-receded-into-history-and-the-fewer-visible/) [Douglas Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-murray/) > [Tolerance is just a fancy word for ignoring a fascist ideology. Acceptance is the only way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-jung/tolerance-is-just-a-fancy-word-for-ignoring-a-fascist-ideology/) [Jessica Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-jung/) > [The fascist state is the corporate state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/the-fascist-state-is-the-corporate-state/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [If we define an American fascist as one who in case of conflict puts money and power ahead of human beings, then there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/if-we-define-an-american-fascist-as-one-who-in-case-of-conflict-puts/) [Henry A. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-wallace/) > [I'm really not a fascist. Everyone wears what they feel great in, or comfortable with. It's a beautiful day, you have an armless shirt:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/i-m-really-not-a-fascist-everyone-wears-what-they-feel-great-in-or/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [I became an anti-fascist, and the more I saw what was happening to the peoples of Europe, the Jews, the more I saw the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-became-an-anti-fascist-and-the-more-i-saw-what-was-happening-to-the/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Fascist is not just an epithet. Fascist is a proper noun that means a specific thing. It's a real thing. It's not always referring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/fascist-is-not-just-an-epithet-fascist-is-a-proper-noun-that-means-a/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [A true fascist is anyone who wants to take away my air conditioning or force me to ride a bike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/a-true-fascist-is-anyone-who-wants-to-take-away-my-air-conditioning/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [Coming of age in the 1960s, I heard the word 'fascist' all the time. College presidents were fascists; Vietnam War supporters were fascists. Policemen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-oshinsky/coming-of-age-in-the-1960s-i-heard-the-word-fascist-all-the-time/) [David Oshinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-oshinsky/) > [God save the Queen and a fascist regime … a flabby toothless fascism, to be sure. Never go too far in any direction, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/god-save-the-queen-and-a-fascist-regime-a-flabby-toothless-fascism-to/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The only 'anti-fascist' song that makes any sense to me is the Beatles' 'Love Is All You Need', because, quite simply, it's true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-rimbaud/the-only-anti-fascist-song-that-makes-any-sense-to-me-is-the-beatles/) Penny Rimbaud > [You want to prove that Milton Friedman is a fascist? It's easy. Quote him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-laffer/you-want-to-prove-that-milton-friedman-is-a-fascist-it-s-easy-quote/) [Arthur Laffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-laffer/) > [Los Estados Unidos has turned into a banana republic, a fascist banana republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-celente/los-estados-unidos-has-turned-into-a-banana-republic-a-fascist-banana/) [Gerald Celente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-celente/) > [It's impossible for a creative artist to be either a Puritan or a Fascist, because both are a negation of the creative urge. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-o-flaherty/it-s-impossible-for-a-creative-artist-to-be-either-a-puritan-or-a/) [Liam O'Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-o-flaherty/) ## More by C.J. Sansom > [Dominion is a spy novel, a love story, and also I hope gives some sense of the difficulties faced by dissidents under any totalitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/dominion-is-a-spy-novel-a-love-story-and-also-i-hope-gives-some-sense/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“Never in England were there so many gentlemen and so little gentleness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/never-in-england-were-there-so-many-gentlemen-and-so-little-gentleness/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [We of alien looks or words must stick together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/we-of-alien-looks-or-words-must-stick-together/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [If I knocked and waited at every door, who knows what I might miss?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/if-i-knocked-and-waited-at-every-door-who-knows-what-i-might-miss/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“prior looked at each other with mutual distaste. ‘Mortifying yourself again, Jerome?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/prior-looked-at-each-other-with-mutual-distaste-mortifying-yourself/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [It seems a universal rule in this world that people will always look for victims and scapegoats, does it not? Especially at times of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/it-seems-a-universal-rule-in-this-world-that-people-will-always-look/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“... there is nothing under the moon, however fine, that is not subject to corruption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/there-is-nothing-under-the-moon-however-fine-that-is-not-subject-to/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [The lives God gives to us, the awful things we can’t escape from. Sometimes I think that sort of God would enjoy making hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/the-lives-god-gives-to-us-the-awful-things-we-can-t-escape-from/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [Funny, when i was a little boy I wanted to be good. But I could never seem to manage it somehow. And if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/funny-when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-wanted-to-be-good-but-i-could-never/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“I suppose we were drawn to each other because neither of us quite fitted in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/i-suppose-we-were-drawn-to-each-other-because-neither-of-us-quite/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [The echoes of childhood torments have great power, even when not brought to mind in such an inexplicable and horrifying way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/the-echoes-of-childhood-torments-have-great-power-even-when-not/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“You untangle a knot with slow teasing, not sharp pulling, and believe me we have here a knot such as I have never seen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/you-untangle-a-knot-with-slow-teasing-not-sharp-pulling-and-believe/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [“Whenever a party tells you national identity matters more than anything else in politics, that nationalism can sort out all the other problems, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/whenever-a-party-tells-you-national-identity-matters-more-than/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [ “Many \[Tudor-era religious radicals\] believed then, exactly as Christian fundamentalists do today, that they lived in the 'last days' before Armageddon and, again just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/many-tudor-era-religious-radicals-believed-then-exactly-as-christian/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [In worshipping their nationhood men worship themselves and scorn others, and that is no healthy thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/in-worshipping-their-nationhood-men-worship-themselves-and-scorn/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) [Explore all 25 C.J. Sansom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) ## More British people quotes > [I'm not a Little Englander. Historically, British people have always been travellers. I look in the world as one place. You have to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-thomas/i-m-not-a-little-englander-historically-british-people-have-always/) Jeremy Thomas > [As his former chief of staff, I can't imagine Boris Johnson felt very comfortable telling the British people to 'stay at home.' But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/as-his-former-chief-of-staff-i-can-t-imagine-boris-johnson-felt-very/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [I would say we are a friend in need and I am sure that the Greek people would very much welcome the choice of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/i-would-say-we-are-a-friend-in-need-and-i-am-sure-that-the-greek/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [Americans assume all British people have at least one servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/americans-assume-all-british-people-have-at-least-one-servant/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I do not believe it is in the character of the British people to begrudge the lion's share to those who have genuinely played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-do-not-believe-it-is-in-the-character-of-the-british-people-to/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [As we exit the E.U., there must be a new approach to immigration that has the consent of the British people and is managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keir-starmer/as-we-exit-the-e-u-there-must-be-a-new-approach-to-immigration-that/) [Keir Starmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keir-starmer/) > [Simply asking the British people to carry on accepting a European settlement over which they have had little choice is a path to ensuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/simply-asking-the-british-people-to-carry-on-accepting-a-european/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [The British people voted to take back control of our borders, trade, money and laws. They chose a bright future as a free, independent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/the-british-people-voted-to-take-back-control-of-our-borders-trade/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [I remember election night 2019, when Boris led us to victory, and brought an end to the chaos of the post-Brexit parliament. He held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suella-braverman/i-remember-election-night-2019-when-boris-led-us-to-victory-and/) [Suella Braverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suella-braverman/) > [Well British pension funds have not been investing the savings of British people in British infrastructure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/well-british-pension-funds-have-not-been-investing-the-savings-of/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [I think most British people who say they can do an American accent are so bad at it. I find it excruciating. I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-atkins/i-think-most-british-people-who-say-they-can-do-an-american-accent/) [Eileen Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-atkins/) > [“Last night I read about a dish Gemma made for the staff for breakfast, which sounded really good despite its horrible name. Toad-in-the-hole. Seriously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-ballis/last-night-i-read-about-a-dish-gemma-made-for-the-staff-for-breakfast/) [Stacey Ballis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-ballis/) > [I can stand here today, leader of the Labour Party, Prime Minister, and say to the British people: you have never had it so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-can-stand-here-today-leader-of-the-labour-party-prime-minister-and/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [ ...The British press... \[claimed that Tony\] Blair was simply Bush's poodle - a favorite phrase, bewilderingly popular, although it made no sense - and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-king/the-british-press-claimed-that-tony-blair-was-simply-bush-s-poodle-a/) [Larry King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-king/) [Browse all 224 British people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/british-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We used to think British people could never become Fascists, or Fascist collaborators. 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