China Quote by Edgar Snow
“In Russia religion is the opium of the people; in China opium is the religion of the people.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Red Star Over China, 1937
Religion can serve as a tool for control, but its role varies across societies, sometimes becoming the very belief system it once suppressed.
In simple terms: Religion can be both control and belief.
Key Takeaway
Question the power structures behind belief.
Themes
politics
religion
social control
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- political movements
- censorship
- social movements
- education policy
Key Concepts
ideology
cultural hegemony
Questions to Reflect On
- How does religion empower versus oppress?
- Can belief be both tool and end?
A Different Perspective
Overgeneralizing may ignore nuanced local contexts.
![“[The Dalai Lama] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could, and still things get worse in Tibet." If you look at it from one point of view, as he himself says, his monastic position of forbearance and nonviolence hasn't reaped any…” quote by Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9fe/pico-iyer-1252_benefits_the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i_678.jpg)
