--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Under dictatorship, the people in prison…" description: "\"Under dictatorship, the people in prison are always superior to the people who put them there.\" — Evan Esar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/evan-esar-1689_crime_under-dictatorship-the-people-in-prison_1875384.jpg" --- # Under dictatorship, the people in prison are always… ![“Under dictatorship, the people in prison are always superior to the people who put them there.” quote by Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/evan-esar-1689_crime_under-dictatorship-the-people-in-prison_1875384.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/evan-esar-1689_crime_under-dictatorship-the-people-in-prison_1875384.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec8/evan-esar-1689_crime_under-dictatorship-the-people-in-prison_1875384.jpg) > “Under dictatorship, the people in prison are always superior to the people who put them there.” [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Oppressed individuals often retain moral superiority over their oppressors. **In simple terms:** Prisoners can be morally higher. Key Takeaway Respect dignity of the oppressed. Themes justice power morality Mood critical reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - legal systems - authoritarian regimes - activism Key Concepts ethical philosophy human rights Questions to Reflect On - What makes the oppressed morally superior? - Can power corrupt moral standing? A Different Perspective Oppressors may claim moral high ground. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Dictatorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictatorship/) [Dictatorship People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictatorship-people-695608/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-prison-324906/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prison Superior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison-superior-2615517/) [Superiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superiors/) ## Related quotes > [If there is a spot where you have dictatorship, where people are not free, people are not satisfied, they do not find food and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-morsi/if-there-is-a-spot-where-you-have-dictatorship-where-people-are-not/) [Mohammed Morsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-morsi/) > [Rather than a democracy, we increasingly have an elective dictatorship. People are merely permitted to choose who will violate the laws and the Constitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/rather-than-a-democracy-we-increasingly-have-an-elective-dictatorship/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [If social stability goes pear-shaped, you have a choice between anarchy and dictatorship. Most people will opt for more security, even if they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/if-social-stability-goes-pear-shaped-you-have-a-choice-between/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [It's true that we in Iraq are now paying a heavy price as a consequence of senseless violence, but nonetheless there are many positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-blasim/it-s-true-that-we-in-iraq-are-now-paying-a-heavy-price-as-a/) [Hassan Blasim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-blasim/) > [“I like visiting people in prison. I can say whatever I want to them, and they can’t do anything about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-like-visiting-people-in-prison-i-can-say-whatever-i-want-to-them/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [In a democracy, you believe it or not; in a dictatorship, you believe it or else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/in-a-democracy-you-believe-it-or-not-in-a-dictatorship-you-believe-it/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [It's a monstrous idea to put people in prison and keep them there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/it-s-a-monstrous-idea-to-put-people-in-prison-and-keep-them-there/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Our priorities are all wrong if we only care about how long people are in prison for, and not what goes on inside them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sarkar/our-priorities-are-all-wrong-if-we-only-care-about-how-long-people/) [Ash Sarkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sarkar/) > [The USA has more people in prison that any other country, including countries with much larger populations. 13% of the population is black but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/the-usa-has-more-people-in-prison-that-any-other-country-including/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Nobody wants to get locked up, although 'locked up' is a matter of perspective. There can be people who are out who are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-snipes/nobody-wants-to-get-locked-up-although-locked-up-is-a-matter-of/) [Wesley Snipes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-snipes/) > [It doesn't help to fight crime to put people in prison who are innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/it-doesn-t-help-to-fight-crime-to-put-people-in-prison-who-are/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [There are many innocent people in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-banks/there-are-many-innocent-people-in-prison/) [Brian Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-banks/) > [When I walked out of the gate I knew that if I continued to hate these people I was still in prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/when-i-walked-out-of-the-gate-i-knew-that-if-i-continued-to-hate/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [You do not have to go to either criminalizing and throwing people in prison. I don't think you should do that for people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sabet/you-do-not-have-to-go-to-either-criminalizing-and-throwing-people-in/) [Kevin Sabet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sabet/) > [Prison was tough on me. I saw people in prison that made me ashamed I was a human being. 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