Certainty Quote by Henry Steele Commager
“Whether history will judge this war to be different or not we cannot say. But this we can say with certainty: A government and a society that silences those who dissent is one that has lost its way.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Unknown, possibly interview or essay, 20th century
Silencing dissent indicates a society that has lost moral direction and democratic health.
In simple terms: A government that mutes critics is lost.
Key Takeaway
Protect free speech and dissent.
Themes
democracy
freedom
authority
societal health
Mood
concerned
serious
Type
political
warning
When to use this quote
- journalism
- activism
- public policy
- education
- community organizing
Key Concepts
political theory
civil liberties
social cohesion
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we encourage dissent safely?
- What safeguards protect free speech?
A Different Perspective
Even without dissent, other forms of oppression can persist.
![“In the long run [censorship] will create a generation incapable of appreciating the difference between independence of thought and subservience.” quote by Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bda/henry-steele-commager-16894_appreciate_in-the-long-run-censorship-will-create-a_1014393.jpg)
![“[I]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge in mathematics, in so far as disposed through it we are able to reach certainty in other sciences and truth by the exclusion of error.” quote by Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d13/roger-bacon-15067_able_i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-a_24209.jpg)