--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we talk about authoritarianism, we…" description: "\"When we talk about authoritarianism, we conjure up out-of-date visions from the 1930s. But we are no more likely to do authoritarian government the way..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a46/david-frum-3455_1930s_when-we-talk-about-authoritarianism-we-c_914691.jpg" --- # When we talk about authoritarianism, we conjure up… ![“When we talk about authoritarianism, we conjure up out-of-date visions from the 1930s. But we are no more likely to do authoritarian government the way they did in the 1930s then we're likely to address or talk or do any of our other business in the way they did it in the 1930s.” quote by David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a46/david-frum-3455_1930s_when-we-talk-about-authoritarianism-we-c_914691.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a46/david-frum-3455_1930s_when-we-talk-about-authoritarianism-we-c_914691.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a46/david-frum-3455_1930s_when-we-talk-about-authoritarianism-we-c_914691.jpg) > “When we talk about authoritarianism, we conjure up out-of-date visions from the 1930s. But we are no more likely to do authoritarian government the way they did in the 1930s then we're likely to address or talk or do any of our other business in the way they did it in the 1930s.” [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern authoritarianism differs from 1930s models; we must address contemporary challenges, not replicate past methods. **In simple terms:** Current authoritarianism is not a replica of the 1930s. Key Takeaway Focus on present issues, not outdated analogies. Themes politics history governance Mood critical analytical Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - government reform - public discourse - civil liberties - media analysis Key Concepts authoritarianism historical comparison policy analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do we recognize new forms of authoritarianism? - What lessons from history are truly applicable today? A Different Perspective Past models may oversimplify complex modern dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authoritarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian/) [Authoritarian government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian-government/) [Authoritarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarianism/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) ## Related quotes > [We see the tendency in the world to criticise democracy and sometimes even to say that authoritarian countries like China are more efficient. 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By trying to seize far more power than is necessary over American citizens, the federal government is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/america-needs-fewer-laws-not-more-prisons-by-trying-to-seize-far-more/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [If people want consultative government, the price is increased complexity and delay in arriving at decisions. 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Governments with authoritarian tendencies point to what is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-marshall/authoritarianism-and-secrecy-breed-incompetence-the-two-feed-on-each/) [Josh Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-marshall/) > [“Democracy can exist only in the countries where people are brave! Coward nations always live under the authoritarian regimes!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/democracy-can-exist-only-in-the-countries-where-people-are-brave/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) ## More by David Frum > [While there is an attempt by the Trump people to say that California isn't really America. California certainly seems like America to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/while-there-is-an-attempt-by-the-trump-people-to-say-that-california/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [I always believed as a speechwriter that if you could persuade the president to commit himself to certain words, he would feel himself committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/i-always-believed-as-a-speechwriter-that-if-you-could-persuade-the/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [One of the things we're all going to have to discover, establishment is just an abusive term for institutions. It's institutions that keep us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-of-the-things-we-re-all-going-to-have-to-discover-establishment/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [One of the things that really has gone wrong in modern politics, one of the things that made Trump possible was that many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/one-of-the-things-that-really-has-gone-wrong-in-modern-politics-one/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [People who want to wage cultural wars ought to keep in mind that cultural views often don't move at all for a very long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/people-who-want-to-wage-cultural-wars-ought-to-keep-in-mind-that/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [A generation ago, or two, when there were three channels, plus PBS, and when you needed - when you needed 15 million people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/a-generation-ago-or-two-when-there-were-three-channels-plus-pbs-and/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Trump is not just unlike a Republican, he's unlike a presidential candidate. The whole elaborate presidential process is designed to screen out people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/trump-is-not-just-unlike-a-republican-he-s-unlike-a-presidential/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [More Irishmen died fighting for Britain in World War I than died fighting against her in all of Ireland's bids for independence combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/more-irishmen-died-fighting-for-britain-in-world-war-i-than-died/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Donald Trump, as a businessman, he's not much of a builder and he's not much of dealmaker and he certainly isn't very good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/donald-trump-as-a-businessman-he-s-not-much-of-a-builder-and-he-s-not/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [The system we have is one that protects my rights under a president I don't approve. That tomorrow we'll do the same for you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/the-system-we-have-is-one-that-protects-my-rights-under-a-president-i/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [ \[democrats\] hated Richard Nixon, and no wonder. It was Nixon who sent Alger Hiss to jail, and Nixon who waged the Vietnam War after… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/democrats-hated-richard-nixon-and-no-wonder-it-was-nixon-who-sent/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Crown Prince Rupprecht, the heir to the throne of Bavaria who commanded the army group facing the British at the Somme, was the senior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/crown-prince-rupprecht-the-heir-to-the-throne-of-bavaria-who/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Partly because of the desperate economic situation in the country, what were once the leading institutions of conservatism are constrained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/partly-because-of-the-desperate-economic-situation-in-the-country/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [ \[In politics,\] when there is no reason to speak, there is a reason not to speak. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/in-politics-when-there-is-no-reason-to-speak-there-is-a-reason-not-to/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [Look, the media are trapped by changes in the technology and business of their industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/look-the-media-are-trapped-by-changes-in-the-technology-and-business/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) [Explore all 130 David Frum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) ## More 1930s quotes > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [My grandmother was a minister as well, which was not that common in the 1930s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/my-grandmother-was-a-minister-as-well-which-was-not-that-common-in/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [It reminds me in some ways of the debate taking place in this country and around the world in the late 1930s. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-reminds-me-in-some-ways-of-the-debate-taking-place-in-this-country/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As a result of the efforts of Hayek .. and the many others who share his general outlook, the idea of a centrally planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kristol/as-a-result-of-the-efforts-of-hayek-and-the-many-others-who-share-his/) [Irving Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kristol/) > [When I was in Philadelphia during the Depression in 1930 or '31, I got a very sad job as a night watchman in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-glazer/when-i-was-in-philadelphia-during-the-depression-in-1930-or-31-i-got/) [Tom Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-glazer/) > [Working in 3D I didn't experience much of a difference, except that the cameras are very big so they can't be moved around with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frain/working-in-3d-i-didn-t-experience-much-of-a-difference-except-that/) [James Frain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frain/) > [Whatever the reasons may be, I was very much affected by events of the 1930s - the Spanish Civil War, for example, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whatever-the-reasons-may-be-i-was-very-much-affected-by-events-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We're a little bit low in the 1970s, right, post-Vietnam, Watergate era, malaise, all that, but this is more like the 1930s where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-fried/we-re-a-little-bit-low-in-the-1970s-right-post-vietnam-watergate-era/) [Daniel Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-fried/) > [In the immediate postwar era, financial crises in advanced countries were rare events, and before 1970 did not happen at all. Since then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-m-taylor/in-the-immediate-postwar-era-financial-crises-in-advanced-countries/) [Alan M. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-m-taylor/) > [I would not say that Harvard possesses any sort of absolute dominance. And I personally do not take the rankings of schools all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rosovsky/i-would-not-say-that-harvard-possesses-any-sort-of-absolute-dominance/) [Henry Rosovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rosovsky/) > [In the 1930s one was aware of two great evils - mass unemployment and the threat of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-meade/in-the-1930s-one-was-aware-of-two-great-evils-mass-unemployment-and/) [James Meade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-meade/) > [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. 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