Communication Quote by Julian Assange
““The west has fiscalised its basic power relationships through a web of contracts, loans, shareholdings, bank holdings and so on. In such an environment it is easy for speech to be “free” because a change in political will rarely leads to any change in these basic instruments. Western speech, as something that rarely has any effect on power, is, like badgers and birds, free. In states like China, there is pervasive censorship, because speech still has power and power is scared of it. We should always look at censorship as an economic signal that reveals the potential power of speech in that jurisdiction.””
About This Quote
The quote argues that in the West, economic structures make speech appear free, while in censored states speech retains power and is suppressed.
In simple terms: Economic ties make speech seem free in the West, but in censored places it still matters.
Key Takeaway
Understand how economic systems influence freedom of expression.
Themes
economics
free speech
political economy
censorship
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
political
educational
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- media literacy
- activism
- academic research
Key Concepts
power dynamics
media control
institutional incentives
Questions to Reflect On
- How do economic interests shape public discourse?
- What signs indicate speech still holds power in a given society?
A Different Perspective
The claim may underestimate the role of corporate interests and media bias in the West.
![“There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya has cheap oil. She perceived the removal of [Muammar] Gaddafi and the overthrow of the Libyan state - something that she would use in her run-up to the…” quote by Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1a/julian-assange-1566_clinton_there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the_2174.jpg)
