--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As we know from the study of history, no…" description: "\"“As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements to be found in th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/margaret-atwood-40_christianity_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1587963.jpg" --- # As we know from the study of history, no new system can… ![“As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements to be found in the latter, as witness the pagan elements in mediaeval Christianity and the evolution of the Russian “K.G.B.” from the Czarist secret service that…” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/margaret-atwood-40_christianity_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1587963.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/margaret-atwood-40_christianity_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1587963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/margaret-atwood-40_christianity_as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no_1587963.jpg) > ““As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements to be found in the latter, as witness the pagan elements in mediaeval Christianity and the evolution of the Russian “K.G.B.” from the Czarist secret service that preceded it; and Gilead was no exception to this rule. Its racist policies, for instance, were firmly rooted in the pre-Gilead period, and racist fears provided some of the emotional fuel that allowed the Gilead takeover to succeed as well as it did.”” [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. New regimes often adopt and repurpose elements from their predecessors, using familiar symbols and fears to legitimize and consolidate power. **In simple terms:** New powers reuse old ideas to gain control. Key Takeaway Recognize borrowed tactics to resist manipulation. Themes power history culture racism Mood cautious critical reflective Type analytical political historical When to use this quote - political movements - religious institutions - media narratives - policy reforms Key Concepts social engineering continuity symbolic appropriation Questions to Reflect On - How do modern institutions echo past injustices? - What symbols are being repurposed today? A Different Perspective Old ideas can be reinterpreted to serve oppressive ends. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Study Of History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study-of-history/) ## Related quotes > [“As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no-new-system-can-impose-itself-3/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [As we know from the study of history, no new system can impose itself upon a previous one without incorporating many of the elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/as-we-know-from-the-study-of-history-no-new-system-can-impose-itself-2/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [It is needless to say how great has been the influence of the doctrine of Evolution, or rather perhaps of the method of investigation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldwin-smith/it-is-needless-to-say-how-great-has-been-the-influence-of-the/) [Goldwin Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldwin-smith/) > [It would be naïve to think that peace and justice can be achieved easily. 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And the moment is the only time we can be fine in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-m-fine-said-pilar-for-the-moment-and-the-moment-is-the-only-time-we/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [And yet it disturbs me to learn I have hurt someone unintentionally. 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I am forgetting too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-s-my-fault-i-am-forgetting-too-much/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [All fiction is about people, unless it's about rabbits pretending to be people. It's all essentially characters in action, which means characters moving through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/all-fiction-is-about-people-unless-it-s-about-rabbits-pretending-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Simon walks back to the house alone. 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You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The more difficult it was to love the particular man beside us, the more we believed in Love, abstract and total. We were waiting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-more-difficult-it-was-to-love-the-particular-man-beside-us-the/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“She knows she's deceiving herself about that, but she prefers to deceive herself. She desperately needs to believe such pure joy is still possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/she-knows-she-s-deceiving-herself-about-that-but-she-prefers-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) [Explore all 2,072 Margaret Atwood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [“God hates Hell. 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