--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When the newly formed middle class in…" description: "\"When the newly formed middle class in China begins to perceive its interests and discovers the value of the rule of law, the existing power structure w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_be-patient_when-the-newly-formed-middle-class-in-ch_2051081.jpg" --- # When the newly formed middle class in China begins to… ![“When the newly formed middle class in China begins to perceive its interests and discovers the value of the rule of law, the existing power structure will lose its foundation. It is a process that no government can put a stop to in the long term. That also applies to some Arab countries, with some…” quote by Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_be-patient_when-the-newly-formed-middle-class-in-ch_2051081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_be-patient_when-the-newly-formed-middle-class-in-ch_2051081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/heinrich-august-winkler-45367_be-patient_when-the-newly-formed-middle-class-in-ch_2051081.jpg) > “When the newly formed middle class in China begins to perceive its interests and discovers the value of the rule of law, the existing power structure will lose its foundation. It is a process that no government can put a stop to in the long term. That also applies to some Arab countries, with some limitations. But we have to be patient. In the 1980s, nobody expected that the freedom movement in Poland would lead to the collapse of entire Eastern Bloc. That's why it would be a huge mistake were we to believe that authoritarian systems were indestructible.” [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a rising middle class demands rule of law, authoritarian regimes lose legitimacy and eventually collapse. **In simple terms:** Middle class pushes for law, weakening dictators. Key Takeaway Support legal reforms and civic education. Themes politics law social change authoritarianism Mood analytical cautious Type historical political When to use this quote - emerging democracies - reform movements - policy advocacy - international relations Key Concepts political science history civil society Questions to Reflect On - What can civil societies do to accelerate legal reforms? - How can international actors support emerging democracies? A Different Perspective Reforms can be slow and face backlash. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authoritarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian/) [Authoritarian Systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian-systems-1302608/) [Be patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-patient/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe Authoritarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-authoritarian-3864746/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Eastern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eastern/) [Eastern Bloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eastern-bloc-380286/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Patient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patient/) [Perceive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perceive/) [Power Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-structure-282721/) [Rule of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [We do not believe in authoritarian rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/we-do-not-believe-in-authoritarian-rule/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [“You find the most outrageous deviants in the countries with the most authoritarian systems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelie-nothomb/you-find-the-most-outrageous-deviants-in-the-countries-with-the-most/) [Amélie Nothomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelie-nothomb/) > [In such systems, there is unquestioning respect for authority. Faith trumps evidence. But if indeed this is broadly the explanation for how co-operative behaviour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-may-baron-may-of-oxford/in-such-systems-there-is-unquestioning-respect-for-authority-faith/) [Robert May, Baron May of Oxford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-may-baron-may-of-oxford/) > [Authoritarian systems evolve. Authoritarianism in the Internet Age is not your old Cold War authoritarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/authoritarian-systems-evolve-authoritarianism-in-the-internet-age-is/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [We have power... Our power isn’t in a political system, or a religious system, or in an economic system, or in a military system;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-trudell/we-have-power-our-power-isn-t-in-a-political-system-or-a-religious/) [John Trudell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-trudell/) > [If you go into the eastern bloc countries we are huge, and in Russia. Maybe there is something about the depressing nature of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/if-you-go-into-the-eastern-bloc-countries-we-are-huge-and-in-russia/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [Things have changed for the worse. That's why former eastern bloc countries are electing communists again. We are missing them and longing for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-kieslowski/things-have-changed-for-the-worse-that-s-why-former-eastern-bloc/) [Krzysztof Kieslowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-kieslowski/) > [“The two CIA men had donned flak jackets and unslung their own rifles, accurized AK-74s. The sight of the Eastern Bloc weapons had raised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-england/the-two-cia-men-had-donned-flak-jackets-and-unslung-their-own-rifles/) [Stephen England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-england/) > [North America can easily fragment quickly as did the Eastern Bloc in 1989.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/north-america-can-easily-fragment-quickly-as-did-the-eastern-bloc-in/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [The Games have been decimated. If you take away the Eastern Bloc, you take away 50% of the medals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-pickering/the-games-have-been-decimated-if-you-take-away-the-eastern-bloc-you/) [Ron Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-pickering/) > [“In August, the Hungarians cut the barbed wire at their border with Austria, creating the first hole in the Eastern Bloc.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-funder/in-august-the-hungarians-cut-the-barbed-wire-at-their-border-with/) [Anna Funder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-funder/) > [The Olympics were produced absolutely the same way from 1960 through 1988. It was always the Western World against the Eastern Bloc. You didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-ebersol/the-olympics-were-produced-absolutely-the-same-way-from-1960-through/) [Dick Ebersol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-ebersol/) > [Once the Eastern Bloc collapsed, what I call 'historical spontaneity' prevailed and the countries that were subject to Soviet control naturally gravitated to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/once-the-eastern-bloc-collapsed-what-i-call-historical-spontaneity/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [Power, as in the power structure, is why we are still using gas in cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-paul/power-as-in-the-power-structure-is-why-we-are-still-using-gas-in-cars/) [Alexandra Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-paul/) > [ \[Socialistic\] economic planning, regulation, and intervention pave the way to totalitarianism by building a power structure that will inevitably be seized by the most… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/socialistic-economic-planning-regulation-and-intervention-pave-the/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) ## More by Heinrich August Winkler > [Germans argue with the Americans about many things, from the death penalty to the relationship between security and freedom. We have to be honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/germans-argue-with-the-americans-about-many-things-from-the-death/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [In recent years, the largest parties have shied away from making clear statements about where they stand. That was a huge mistake. I very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/in-recent-years-the-largest-parties-have-shied-away-from-making-clear/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [During the Cold War, the West was extremely careful not to allow the gap between the rich and poor to widen too far, first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/during-the-cold-war-the-west-was-extremely-careful-not-to-allow-the/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [Vladimir Putin is doubtlessly trying to drive a wedge into the Western alliance. When it comes to the Russian minorities in the Baltics, Putin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/vladimir-putin-is-doubtlessly-trying-to-drive-a-wedge-into-the/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [German leftists have still not understood the degree to which Russian President Vladimir Putting has drifted to the right domestically. Now, insightful observers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/german-leftists-have-still-not-understood-the-degree-to-which-russian/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [In Ukraine, there has never been a consensus behind NATO membership. Even Yulia Tymoshenko was noncommittal when she was still prime minister. Georgia under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/in-ukraine-there-has-never-been-a-consensus-behind-nato-membership/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [In many regards, the West is dependent on Russia as a partner. Showing consideration for Russian sensitivities when it comes to old, historical bonds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/in-many-regards-the-west-is-dependent-on-russia-as-a-partner-showing/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) > [Germany is not the only country that one could call post-heroic. But there is an additional aspect for Germany when it comes to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-august-winkler/germany-is-not-the-only-country-that-one-could-call-post-heroic-but/) [Heinrich August Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) [Explore all 9 Heinrich August Winkler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-august-winkler/) ## More Authoritarian quotes > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [We very clearly do not want an authoritarian regime... setting standards in the world marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratcliffe/we-very-clearly-do-not-want-an-authoritarian-regime-setting-standards/) [John Ratcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratcliffe/) > [Cumulatively, American society is sliding toward a new form of 'authoritarian democracy'. Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/cumulatively-american-society-is-sliding-toward-a-new-form-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [“If you care about other people, that's now a very dangerous idea. If you care about other people, you might try to organize to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-care-about-other-people-that-s-now-a-very-dangerous-idea-if/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“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/) > [Even more than comparing society to a family, comparing it to a body makes an authoritarian ordering of society seem inevitable, immutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/even-more-than-comparing-society-to-a-family-comparing-it-to-a-body/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [We are not and will never be an authoritarian regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/we-are-not-and-will-never-be-an-authoritarian-regime/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [Why do economists fall in love with authoritarian governments?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasheng-huang/why-do-economists-fall-in-love-with-authoritarian-governments/) [Yasheng Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasheng-huang/) > [“Just as in the Trump-Giuliani Ukraine conspiracy, we saw a ruthless, single-minded obsession with staying in power; a manifest lack of moral values, shame,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-yovanovitch/just-as-in-the-trump-giuliani-ukraine-conspiracy-we-saw-a-ruthless/) [Marie Yovanovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-yovanovitch/) > [North Korea aside, most authoritarian governments have already accepted the growth of the Internet culture as inevitable; they have little choice but to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/north-korea-aside-most-authoritarian-governments-have-already/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [I am the first authoritarian government elected to become a dictator and then resigning as a dictator. So this is the first dictator in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/i-am-the-first-authoritarian-government-elected-to-become-a-dictator/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [There is an authoritarian strain in all of Leftism-- because the bigger the government, the more it controls other peoples' lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/there-is-an-authoritarian-strain-in-all-of-leftism-because-the-bigger/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [My position and the state will never allow me to become a dictator, but an authoritarian style of rule is characteristic of me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/my-position-and-the-state-will-never-allow-me-to-become-a-dictator/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [You really don't create an authoritarian society unless you control the personal choices including the sexual choices of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/you-really-don-t-create-an-authoritarian-society-unless-you-control/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [The question is: Particularly in the post-9/11 era, are societies becoming more liberal or more authoritarian?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-question-is-particularly-in-the-post-9-11-era-are-societies/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Browse all 185 Authoritarian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When the newly formed middle class in China begins to perceive its interests and discovers the value of the rule of law, the existing power structure will lose its foundation. 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