--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the end I began to understand. There…" description: "\"“In the end I began to understand. There is such a thing as absolute power over narrative. Those who secure this privilege for themselves can arrange s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/chinua-achebe-781_absolute-power_in-the-end-i-began-to-understand-there-i_3143814.jpg" --- # In the end I began to understand. There is such a thing as… ![“In the end I began to understand. There is such a thing as absolute power over narrative. Those who secure this privilege for themselves can arrange stories about others pretty much where, and as, they like. Just as in corrupt, totalitarian regimes, those who exercise power over others can do…” quote by Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/chinua-achebe-781_absolute-power_in-the-end-i-began-to-understand-there-i_3143814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/chinua-achebe-781_absolute-power_in-the-end-i-began-to-understand-there-i_3143814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/chinua-achebe-781_absolute-power_in-the-end-i-began-to-understand-there-i_3143814.jpg) > ““In the end I began to understand. There is such a thing as absolute power over narrative. Those who secure this privilege for themselves can arrange stories about others pretty much where, and as, they like. Just as in corrupt, totalitarian regimes, those who exercise power over others can do anything. They can bring out crowds of demonstrators whenever they need them.”” [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Control over narratives grants power to shape perception and mobilize masses. **In simple terms:** Narrative control equals power. Key Takeaway Guard against manipulation. Themes media power storytelling Mood critical aware Type political analytical When to use this quote - political campaigns - social movements - advertising Key Concepts propaganda authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - Who controls the story you hear? - How can you seek diverse perspectives? A Different Perspective Narratives can be challenged by alternative voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-power/) [Corrupt Totalitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupt-totalitarian-5613394/) [Demonstrators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstrators-1591733/) [Demonstrators Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstrators-need-5613393/) [Power Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-narrative-628988/) [Totalitarian regimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarian-regimes/) ## Related quotes > [The power of narrative sort of defines something forever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-blackhurst/the-power-of-narrative-sort-of-defines-something-forever-and-ever/) [Rod Blackhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-blackhurst/) > [As a writer and as a reader, I really believe in the power of narrative to allow us ways to experience life beyond our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-edwards/as-a-writer-and-as-a-reader-i-really-believe-in-the-power-of/) [Kim Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-edwards/) > [In spring 1989...I saw the buildup of demonstrations from Chengdu to Tiananmen Square. It struck me that fear had been forgotten to such an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jung-chang/in-spring-1989-i-saw-the-buildup-of-demonstrations-from-chengdu-to/) [Jung Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jung-chang/) > [The objective of the demonstrators is to win the affection of the armed agents of the government. Most of the Kiev police have now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schaffer/the-objective-of-the-demonstrators-is-to-win-the-affection-of-the/) [Bob Schaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schaffer/) > [The demonstrators in Ukraine will persevere and succeed, or grow tired, cold and fade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schaffer/the-demonstrators-in-ukraine-will-persevere-and-succeed-or-grow-tired/) [Bob Schaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schaffer/) > [We are no longer demonstrators. We are not actors, we are now people committed to the proposition that if the government won't stop the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/we-are-no-longer-demonstrators-we-are-not-actors-we-are-now-people/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [All the Chicago demonstrators wanted to do was to sleep in the park and kick policemen with razor blades in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/all-the-chicago-demonstrators-wanted-to-do-was-to-sleep-in-the-park/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > [Demonstrators for a government takeover of medicine have a right to discuss their demands, but no right to enact these demands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilana-mercer/demonstrators-for-a-government-takeover-of-medicine-have-a-right-to/) [Ilana Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilana-mercer/) > [There is an absolutely fundamental hostility on the part of totalitarian regimes toward religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeane-kirkpatrick/there-is-an-absolutely-fundamental-hostility-on-the-part-of/) [Jeane Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeane-kirkpatrick/) > [If a dictator takes up my ideas, the resulting town will survive the political system that commissioned it and stand as a social good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-krier/if-a-dictator-takes-up-my-ideas-the-resulting-town-will-survive-the/) [Leon Krier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-krier/) > [Puzzlement and doubt are, however, already crimes in the totalitarian state. The mind that is open for questions is open for dissent. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joost-meerloo/puzzlement-and-doubt-are-however-already-crimes-in-the-totalitarian/) [Joost Meerloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joost-meerloo/) > [We should teach general ethics to both men and women, but sexual relationships themselves must not be policed. Sex, like the city streets, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/we-should-teach-general-ethics-to-both-men-and-women-but-sexual/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [“The greater danger to individual freedom comes from totalitarian regimes that regard any dissenting view as a threat to be destroyed—no matter if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stevenson/the-greater-danger-to-individual-freedom-comes-from-totalitarian/) [William Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stevenson/) > [“This was laughable, of course, but that’s always the way with totalitarian regimes. Language gets turned on its head. Serfdom is freedom. Repression is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaji-ishikawa/this-was-laughable-of-course-but-that-s-always-the-way-with/) [Masaji Ishikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaji-ishikawa/) > [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/) ## More by Chinua Achebe > [“In such a regime, I say you died a good death if your life had inspired someone to come forward and shoot your murdered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/in-such-a-regime-i-say-you-died-a-good-death-if-your-life-had/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/do-not-despair-i-know-you-will-not-despair-you-have-a-manly-and-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [My son even if you want to fall, at least fall where your bones can be gathered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/my-son-even-if-you-want-to-fall-at-least-fall-where-your-bones-can-be/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“And so Mr. Brown came to be respected even by the clan, because he trod softly on its faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/and-so-mr-brown-came-to-be-respected-even-by-the-clan-because-he-trod/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“I have learned that a man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/i-have-learned-that-a-man-who-makes-trouble-for-others-is-also-making/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [In fact, I thought that Christianity was very a good and a very valuable thing for us. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/democracy-is-not-something-you-put-away-for-ten-years-and-then-in-the/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When there is a big tree small ones climb on its back to reach the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-there-is-a-big-tree-small-ones-climb-on-its-back-to-reach-the-sun/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [When I began going to school and learned to read, I encountered stories of other people and other lands. In one of my essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-began-going-to-school-and-learned-to-read-i-encountered/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [Almost nobody dances sober, unless they happen to be insane. H. P. LOVECRAFT, attributed, Telling It Like It Is Dancing is very important nowadays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/almost-nobody-dances-sober-unless-they-happen-to-be-insane-h-p/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [This is why I find racism impossible, because this is against humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/this-is-why-i-find-racism-impossible-because-this-is-against-humanity/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“Then listen to me,' he said and cleared his throat. 'It's true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/then-listen-to-me-he-said-and-cleared-his-throat-it-s-true-that-a/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/what-you-must-accept-is-that-your-life-is-not-going-to-be-the-same/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) [Explore all 368 Chinua Achebe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) ## More Absolute power quotes > [“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. 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Reality always creeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/absolute-power-as-we-have-always-known-corrupts-absolutely-it/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [A nation of slaves is always prepared to applaud the clemency of their master who, in the abuse of absolute power, does not proceed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/a-nation-of-slaves-is-always-prepared-to-applaud-the-clemency-of/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pitt-1st-earl-of-chatham/unlimited-power-is-apt-to-corrupt-the-minds-of-those-who-possess-it/) [William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pitt-1st-earl-of-chatham/) > [The Book of Job is advice on how to live in terms of the absolute power of nature. Leviathan is advice on how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-phillip-verene/the-book-of-job-is-advice-on-how-to-live-in-terms-of-the-absolute/) [Donald Phillip Verene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-phillip-verene/) > [God cannot approve of a system of servitude, in which the master is guilty of assuming absolute power - of assuming God's place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/god-cannot-approve-of-a-system-of-servitude-in-which-the-master-is/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [“With absolute power, corruption and evil seep in humanity, and that evil continues to flourish as the good of humankind lies idle in darkness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/with-absolute-power-corruption-and-evil-seep-in-humanity-and-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you are an eighteen or nineteen-year-old with little education, as is often the case, and you're put in charge of many, many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaroslav-trofimov/if-you-are-an-eighteen-or-nineteen-year-old-with-little-education-as/) [Yaroslav Trofimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaroslav-trofimov/) > [“As history has also shown, especially in the twentieth century, one of the first things an ideologue will do after achieving absolute power is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/as-history-has-also-shown-especially-in-the-twentieth-century-one-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [We're taught Lord Acton's axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. 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