Force Quote by Isaac Asimov
““The Imperial forces must keep their hands off, but they find that they can do much even so. Each sector is encouraged to be suspicious of its neighbors. Within each sector, economic and social classes are encouraged to wage a kind of war with each other. The result is that all over Trantor it is impossible for the people to take united action. Everywhere, the people would rather fight each other than make a common stand against the central tyranny and the Empire rules without having to exert force.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Foundation, 1951
The passage describes a society fragmented by distrust and competition, preventing collective action against a central authority, illustrating how division weakens resistance.
In simple terms: Division prevents unified resistance to power.
Key Takeaway
Foster trust and common purpose.
Themes
politics
social cohesion
power dynamics
Mood
cautionary
analytical
Type
political
social
When to use this quote
- political movements
- corporate cultures
- neighborhood groups
- online communities
Key Concepts
political theory
social fragmentation
collective action
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can build trust across rival groups?
- How does competition sometimes benefit innovation?
A Different Perspective
Even with division, some alliances can emerge.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
