--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever promises offered by dictators in…" description: "\"Whatever promises offered by dictators in any negotiated settlement, no one should ever forget that the dictators may promise anything to secure submis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/gene-sharp-18306_agreement_whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-i_1406594.jpg" --- # Whatever promises offered by dictators in any negotiated… ![“Whatever promises offered by dictators in any negotiated settlement, no one should ever forget that the dictators may promise anything to secure submission from their democratic opponents, and then brazenly violate those same agreements.” quote by Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/gene-sharp-18306_agreement_whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-i_1406594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/gene-sharp-18306_agreement_whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-i_1406594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/gene-sharp-18306_agreement_whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-i_1406594.jpg) > “Whatever promises offered by dictators in any negotiated settlement, no one should ever forget that the dictators may promise anything to secure submission from their democratic opponents, and then brazenly violate those same agreements.” [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dictators may make false promises to coerce opponents, then break them without remorse. **In simple terms:** Dictators lie to control, then betray. Key Takeaway Beware of empty promises from authoritarian leaders. Themes politics trust authoritarianism Mood cautious skeptical Type political warning When to use this quote - peace talks - diplomatic agreements - human rights advocacy Key Concepts coercion betrayal negotiation Questions to Reflect On - How can societies verify commitments from hostile regimes? - What safeguards prevent betrayal in agreements? A Different Perspective Negotiations can still be useful if safeguards are built in. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) [Dictator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictator/) [Negotiation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negotiation/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Submission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/submission/) ## Related quotes > [ The fundamental principle \[of settlement work\] remains: that people shall take up their residence in industrial communities, giving what they may have of public… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-wald/the-fundamental-principle-of-settlement-work-remains-that-people/) [Lillian Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-wald/) > [People go to restaurants for so many different reasons. To court a girl, to make some deal. Maybe to talk to some lawyer about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gay-talese/people-go-to-restaurants-for-so-many-different-reasons-to-court-a/) [Gay Talese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gay-talese/) > [Like myself, all Americans have a deep concern for the well-being of Iran. With them I have watched closely your courageous efforts, your steadfastness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/like-myself-all-americans-have-a-deep-concern-for-the-well-being-of/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The core issue here is that the Israeli government refuses to commit to terms of reference for the negotiations that are based on international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-abbas/the-core-issue-here-is-that-the-israeli-government-refuses-to-commit/) [Mahmoud Abbas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-abbas/) > [The settlement of the Land of Israel is the essence of Zionism. Without settlement, we will not fulfill Zionism. It's that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-shamir/the-settlement-of-the-land-of-israel-is-the-essence-of-zionism/) [Yitzhak Shamir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-shamir/) > [We have to learn how to contact one another over an enormous land space, across five-and-a-half time zones, in what as once a wilderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-w-powe/we-have-to-learn-how-to-contact-one-another-over-an-enormous-land/) [B. W. Powe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-w-powe/) > [It's very hard, for example, to justify the thirty-four-year occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It's very hard to justify 140 Israeli settlements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/it-s-very-hard-for-example-to-justify-the-thirty-four-year-occupation/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [The Government wants a peaceful settlement. But we totally reject a peaceful sell-out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-government-wants-a-peaceful-settlement-but-we-totally-reject-a/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I don't often want to speak. I try to be a reasonable person and to be diplomatic, but you go to that place and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/i-don-t-often-want-to-speak-i-try-to-be-a-reasonable-person-and-to-be/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and-may-none-fail-because-of/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Beyond that is the fear that the United States will end up negotiating and agreeing to a deal with Iran. The Israelis do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trita-parsi/beyond-that-is-the-fear-that-the-united-states-will-end-up/) [Trita Parsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trita-parsi/) > [For a time during the early settlement of this country peace and goodwill prevailed, only to be followed later by violent and relentless warfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-a-miles/for-a-time-during-the-early-settlement-of-this-country-peace-and/) [Nelson A. Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-a-miles/) > [We knew the Syrian situation was complex and there were lots of divisions, particularly on the side of the opposition... This is a tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/we-knew-the-syrian-situation-was-complex-and-there-were-lots-of/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Peace is more of an internal settlement rather than what is visible on the external.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/peace-is-more-of-an-internal-settlement-rather-than-what-is-visible/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Why is it that we don't build human settlements that will feed themselves, and fuel themselves, and catch their own water, when any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/why-is-it-that-we-don-t-build-human-settlements-that-will-feed/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) ## More by Gene Sharp > [There’s one thing that’s been 'learned' maybe from Tunisia and Egypt that I think is a mistake. And that is that the existing ruler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/there-s-one-thing-that-s-been-learned-maybe-from-tunisia-and-egypt/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [Nonviolent action involves opposing the opponent's power, including his police and military capacity, not with the weapons chosen by him but by quite different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/nonviolent-action-involves-opposing-the-opponent-s-power-including/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [“In some cases, however, limited violence against the dictatorship may be inevitable. Frustration and hatred of the regime may explode into violence. Or, certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/in-some-cases-however-limited-violence-against-the-dictatorship-may/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [“Liberation from dictatorships ultimately depends on the people's ability to liberate themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/liberation-from-dictatorships-ultimately-depends-on-the-people-s/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [“Engage in friendly creative communication with the functionaries and troops serving the putschists while continuing resistance. Explain to them the reasons for the defense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/engage-in-friendly-creative-communication-with-the-functionaries-and/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [“The degree of liberty or tyranny in any government is in large degree a reflection of the relative determination of the subjects to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/the-degree-of-liberty-or-tyranny-in-any-government-is-in-large-degree/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [Violence by the defenders will be used by the putschists to justify overwhelming repression which they want to use anyhow. It will be used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/violence-by-the-defenders-will-be-used-by-the-putschists-to-justify/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [Nonviolent struggle is the most powerful means available to those struggling for freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/nonviolent-struggle-is-the-most-powerful-means-available-to-those/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [The degree of liberty or tyranny in any government is, it follows, in large degree a reflection of the relative determination of the subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/the-degree-of-liberty-or-tyranny-in-any-government-is-it-follows-in/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [“As Charles Stewart Parnell called out during the Irish rent strike campaign in 1879 and 1880: It is no use relying on the Government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/as-charles-stewart-parnell-called-out-during-the-irish-rent-strike/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [Dictatorships are never as strong as they think they are, and people are never as weak as they think they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/dictatorships-are-never-as-strong-as-they-think-they-are-and-people/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [By placing confidence in violent means, one has chosen the very type of struggle with which the oppressors nearly always have superiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/by-placing-confidence-in-violent-means-one-has-chosen-the-very-type/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [“Nonviolent defiance often risks serious casualities, but it seem to produce far fewer casualitie than when both sides use violence. At the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/nonviolent-defiance-often-risks-serious-casualities-but-it-seem-to/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [That is straight out of Gandhi. If people are not afraid of the dictatorship, that dictatorship is in big trouble. … If you fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/that-is-straight-out-of-gandhi-if-people-are-not-afraid-of-the/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) > [The fall of one regime does not bring in a utopia. Rather, it opens the way for hard work and long efforts to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/the-fall-of-one-regime-does-not-bring-in-a-utopia-rather-it-opens-the/) [Gene Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) [Explore all 34 Gene Sharp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/) ## More Agreement quotes > [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/) [Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/) > [In coming to that agreement, my party had a clear philosophy throughout. In Northern Ireland, we should have institutions that respected the differences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-coming-to-that-agreement-my-party-had-a-clear-philosophy/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [Identity is not negotiable. An identity you have achieved by agreement is always a prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-john-harrison/identity-is-not-negotiable-an-identity-you-have-achieved-by-agreement/) [M. John Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-john-harrison/) > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/because-countries-often-have-differing-political-and-economic-systems/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/as-long-as-i-sit-at-henry-clay-s-desk-i-will-remember-his-lifelong/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [Gaia's main problems are not industrialization, ozone depletion, overpopulation, or resource depletion. Gaia's main problem is the lack of mutual understanding and mutual agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/gaia-s-main-problems-are-not-industrialization-ozone-depletion/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [We recognize that NAFTA is a three-country agreement, and we need a three-country negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/we-recognize-that-nafta-is-a-three-country-agreement-and-we-need-a/) [Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/) > [At Ohio State University, to avoid being guilty of 'sexual assault' or 'sexual violence,' you and your partner now apparently have to agree on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/at-ohio-state-university-to-avoid-being-guilty-of-sexual-assault-or/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Whatever you perceive, you always make a story with yourself as the main character, and that dictates your life. 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This was going to result in Iran getting 50 billion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/netanyahu-made-all-sorts-of-claims-this-was-going-to-be-a-terrible/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Browse all 1,138 Agreement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whatever promises offered by dictators in any negotiated settlement, no one should ever forget that the dictators may promise anything to secure submission from their democratic opponents, and then brazenly violate those same agreements.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gene Sharp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-in-any-negotiated-settlement/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Agreement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-in-any-negotiated-settlement/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/gene-sharp-18306_agreement_whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-i_1406594.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/gene-sharp-18306_agreement_whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-i_1406594.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/gene-sharp-18306_agreement_whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-i_1406594.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whatever promises offered by dictators in any negotiated settlement, no one should ever forget that the…” — Gene Sharp", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gene Sharp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-sharp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whatever promises offered by dictators in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-in-any-negotiated-settlement/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-sharp/whatever-promises-offered-by-dictators-in-any-negotiated-settlement/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```