--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We lived in a totalitarian system for…" description: "\"We lived in a totalitarian system for more than 70 years, and our views are still under its influence. Many heads of state in the former Soviet republi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/irakli-okruashvili-37000_believe_we-lived-in-a-totalitarian-system-for-mo_924702.jpg" --- # We lived in a totalitarian system for more than 70 years… ![“We lived in a totalitarian system for more than 70 years, and our views are still under its influence. Many heads of state in the former Soviet republics believe that they must have total power.” quote by Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/irakli-okruashvili-37000_believe_we-lived-in-a-totalitarian-system-for-mo_924702.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/irakli-okruashvili-37000_believe_we-lived-in-a-totalitarian-system-for-mo_924702.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05b/irakli-okruashvili-37000_believe_we-lived-in-a-totalitarian-system-for-mo_924702.jpg) > “We lived in a totalitarian system for more than 70 years, and our views are still under its influence. Many heads of state in the former Soviet republics believe that they must have total power.” [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A long‑standing authoritarian legacy continues to shape political attitudes, leading leaders to seek absolute control. **In simple terms:** Past oppression still influences current leaders. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge lingering authoritarian mindsets. Themes politics history power authoritarianism legacy Mood cautious reflective serious Type analytical critical observational When to use this quote - government reform - civil society activism - media freedom - education curricula Key Concepts totalitarianism political psychology post‑communist transition Questions to Reflect On - How do historical narratives affect present governance? - What steps can break the cycle of power concentration? A Different Perspective Change is difficult when entrenched beliefs persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Former](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/former/) [Head of state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-of-state/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Lived Totalitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lived-totalitarian-1458080/) [Republic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republic/) [Republics Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republics-believe-1458081/) [Soviet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet/) [Soviet Republics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-republics-1458082/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Totalitarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarian/) [Totalitarian 70](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarian-70-1458079/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I have lived under totalitarian Communism, so I prize freedom as much as anyone and have long fought for freedom of conscience and speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/i-have-lived-under-totalitarian-communism-so-i-prize-freedom-as-much/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [We have seen recently, almost every major head of state goes to India and says, we believe India should be in the Council. 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I was his right-hand man. He never accused me of anything during that time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/i-worked-with-mikhail-saakashvili-for-more-than-six-years-i-was-his/) [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) > [The West didn't see our real situation, and we were blinded by the compliments coming from the Europeans and Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/the-west-didn-t-see-our-real-situation-and-we-were-blinded-by-the/) [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) > [ \[Mikhail\] Saakashvili will use all legal and illegal means possible to remain in power. 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I don't want to see our country's best minds leaving the country to try their luck abroad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/georgian-society-can-no-longer-be-divided-i-don-t-want-to-see-our/) [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) > [I would like to see more control and more criticism coming from Europe. The constant expressions of friendship for former President Eduard Shevardnadze, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/i-would-like-to-see-more-control-and-more-criticism-coming-from/) [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) > [ I hope to be granted asylum. Deportation \[ from Germany\] that would be a death sentence for me. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/i-hope-to-be-granted-asylum-deportation-from-germany-that-would-be-a/) [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) > [ As long as \[Mikhail\] Saakashvili is president, I will be unable to prove my innocence in Georgia. Seen in this light, there is a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/as-long-as-mikhail-saakashvili-is-president-i-will-be-unable-to-prove/) [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) > [Our prison in Georgia is a very different place from this prison here in Berlin. The conditions there are inhuman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irakli-okruashvili/our-prison-in-georgia-is-a-very-different-place-from-this-prison-here/) [Irakli Okruashvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irakli-okruashvili/) > [ I made mistakes. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We lived in a totalitarian system for more than 70 years, and our views are still under its influence. 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