--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am the first authoritarian government…" description: "\"I am the first authoritarian government elected to become a dictator and then resigning as a dictator. So this is the first dictator in the world who h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/mahathir-mohamad-3562_authoritarian_i-am-the-first-authoritarian-government_239639.png" --- # I am the first authoritarian government elected to become… ![“I am the first authoritarian government elected to become a dictator and then resigning as a dictator. So this is the first dictator in the world who has resigned while still quite healthy.” quote by Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/mahathir-mohamad-3562_authoritarian_i-am-the-first-authoritarian-government_239639.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/mahathir-mohamad-3562_authoritarian_i-am-the-first-authoritarian-government_239639.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/mahathir-mohamad-3562_authoritarian_i-am-the-first-authoritarian-government_239639.png) > “I am the first authoritarian government elected to become a dictator and then resigning as a dictator. So this is the first dictator in the world who has resigned while still quite healthy.” [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A unique political claim of being the first elected authoritarian who voluntarily stepped down while still healthy. **In simple terms:** I resigned from power voluntarily despite being elected as a dictator. Key Takeaway Leaders can relinquish power responsibly. Themes politics leadership ethics Mood reflective serious Type political historical When to use this quote - government reform - peaceful power transfer - political legacy Key Concepts authoritarianism democratic transition political accountability Questions to Reflect On - What motivates a leader to resign voluntarily? - How can such a transition inspire democratic norms? A Different Perspective Resignation may be viewed as political theater without systemic change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authoritarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian/) [Dictator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictator/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Dictators, unlike Democrats, depend on a small coterie to sustain their power. These backers, generally drawn from the military, the senior civil service, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/dictators-unlike-democrats-depend-on-a-small-coterie-to-sustain-their/) [Bruce Bueno de Mesquita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-bueno-de-mesquita/) > [I suppose anyone who calls a dictator a dictator is 'dangerous' and 'imbalanced.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asma-jahangir/i-suppose-anyone-who-calls-a-dictator-a-dictator-is-dangerous-and/) [Asma Jahangir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asma-jahangir/) > [“Don’t you ever read the papers? Roderick Spode is the founder and head of the Saviours of Britain, a Fascist organization better known as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/don-t-you-ever-read-the-papers-roderick-spode-is-the-founder-and-head/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [My moral and spiritual formation does not allow me to be a dictator... If I were a dictator, You can be sure that many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-pinochet/my-moral-and-spiritual-formation-does-not-allow-me-to-be-a-dictator/) [Augusto Pinochet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-pinochet/) > [Obama might think of himself as one, but he is not a dictator. We are not a banana republic yet. This is not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/obama-might-think-of-himself-as-one-but-he-is-not-a-dictator-we-are/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [My position and the state will never allow me to become a dictator, but an authoritarian ruling style is characteristic of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/my-position-and-the-state-will-never-allow-me-to-become-a-dictator-2/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [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/) > [We say less things about Australians than Australians say about us, calling me a dictator, authoritarian government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/we-say-less-things-about-australians-than-australians-say-about-us/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Mahathir Mohamad > [I cannot keep quiet even when I am a lone voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/i-cannot-keep-quiet-even-when-i-am-a-lone-voice/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [The Internet is undermining moral values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/the-internet-is-undermining-moral-values/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [In Malaysia, trials have always been fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/in-malaysia-trials-have-always-been-fair/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [There are certain things that we can deal with by following the rules. But at times, we find the rules restrict you from doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/there-are-certain-things-that-we-can-deal-with-by-following-the-rules/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [A heretic can be tolerated. But a heresy cannot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/a-heretic-can-be-tolerated-but-a-heresy-cannot/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [The Malays are spiritually inclined, tolerant, and easy-going. The non-Malays, and especially the Chinese, are materialistic, aggressive, and have an appetite for work. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/the-malays-are-spiritually-inclined-tolerant-and-easy-going-the-non/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Any organisation has a future, provided it is properly led and it sticks to the objective of that organisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/any-organisation-has-a-future-provided-it-is-properly-led-and-it/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [In the eyes of the world, Malaysia has become a pariah state, a state where anyone can be hauled up and questioned by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/in-the-eyes-of-the-world-malaysia-has-become-a-pariah-state-a-state/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [I not only think but also look and study things carefully. When I travel around, I look at things carefully, make comparisons of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/i-not-only-think-but-also-look-and-study-things-carefully-when-i/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Suppose a part of Britain or a part of America was taken away and given to the Jews as Israel. Do you think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/suppose-a-part-of-britain-or-a-part-of-america-was-taken-away-and/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [When you have a prime minister who is corrupt, then you can be sure that a country cannot be anything else but corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/when-you-have-a-prime-minister-who-is-corrupt-then-you-can-be-sure/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [It would seem the people who want to preserve the Penans' way of life are condemning them to a life full of diseases and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/it-would-seem-the-people-who-want-to-preserve-the-penans-way-of-life/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Once started, religious strife has a tendency to go on and on - to become permanent feuds. Today we see such intractable inter-religious wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/once-started-religious-strife-has-a-tendency-to-go-on-and-on-to/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Membership of an organisation is good, as long as you can make yourself heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/membership-of-an-organisation-is-good-as-long-as-you-can-make/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [Free press is not absolute. In this country, we say clearly if you start stirring up racial hatred, then we will put a stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/free-press-is-not-absolute-in-this-country-we-say-clearly-if-you/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) [Explore all 126 Mahathir Mohamad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) ## 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 > [“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 > [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/) > [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/) > [To be a parent, you must be authoritarian. If the Zambians want to succeed, they must learn to work hard, and they should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-sata/to-be-a-parent-you-must-be-authoritarian-if-the-zambians-want-to/) [Michael Sata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-sata/) [Browse all 185 Authoritarian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am the first authoritarian government elected to become a dictator and then resigning as a dictator. 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