--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every budding dictatorship begins by…" description: "\"Every budding dictatorship begins by muzzling the artists, because they're a mouthy lot and they don't line up and salute very easily.\" — Margaret Atwood" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/margaret-atwood-40_art_every-budding-dictatorship-begins-by-muz_1938753.jpg" --- # Every budding dictatorship begins by muzzling the artists… ![“Every budding dictatorship begins by muzzling the artists, because they're a mouthy lot and they don't line up and salute very easily.” quote by Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/margaret-atwood-40_art_every-budding-dictatorship-begins-by-muz_1938753.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/margaret-atwood-40_art_every-budding-dictatorship-begins-by-muz_1938753.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70d/margaret-atwood-40_art_every-budding-dictatorship-begins-by-muz_1938753.jpg) > “Every budding dictatorship begins by muzzling the artists, because they're a mouthy lot and they don't line up and salute very easily.” [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. Authoritarian regimes silence artists to control narratives. **In simple terms:** Silencing artists fuels dictatorship. Key Takeaway Protect artistic freedom. Themes politics art freedom Mood critical urgent Type political social When to use this quote - media - education - activism Key Concepts censorship power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What role do artists play in society? - How can we defend creative expression? A Different Perspective Artists may self-censor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Dictatorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictatorship/) ## Related quotes > [Keep the faith. Whatever that may be. Don't get too depressed yet, because I have a belief in America being very diverse and ornery,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/keep-the-faith-whatever-that-may-be-don-t-get-too-depressed-yet/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [IF you Salute your work,You do not have to salute anybody. IF you pollute your work,You have to salute everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-kalam/if-you-salute-your-work-you-do-not-have-to-salute-anybody-if-you/) [Abdul Kalam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-kalam/) > [Salute to those who have served our country & those who are still currently. Remember the real meaning of today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/salute-to-those-who-have-served-our-country-those-who-are-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is a photograph? For me, a fragment of quick-silver, a lucid dream, a scribbled note from the subconscious to be deciphered, perhaps, over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-rubinstein/what-is-a-photograph-for-me-a-fragment-of-quick-silver-a-lucid-dream/) Eva Rubinstein > [We salute the rank not the man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-winters/we-salute-the-rank-not-the-man/) [Richard Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-winters/) > [Seasons pursuing each other the indescribable crowd is gathered, it is the fourth of Seventh-month, (what salutes of cannon and small arms!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/seasons-pursuing-each-other-the-indescribable-crowd-is-gathered-it-is/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > ["You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's." Your neighbor is clearly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/you-shall-not-covet-your-neighbor-s-wife-nor-his-ox-nor-his-ass-nor/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“Continuò a essere così, anche quando il corpo cominciò a inviargli i primi segnali di allarme, perché aveva sempre avuto la salute di ferro…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/continu-a-essere-cos-anche-quando-il-corpo-cominci-a-inviargli-i/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [I salute you for your courage, and I applaud your perseverance, and I embrace you for your faith in the face of adversarial forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-salute-you-for-your-courage-and-i-applaud-your-perseverance-and-i/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I had long wondered," Lan said to Tam. "About the man who had given Rand that heron-marked blade. I wondered if he had truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/i-had-long-wondered-lan-said-to-tam-about-the-man-who-had-given-rand/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [“January 20th,2021 Blow the trumpets loud, Salute the National Guard in the crowd, New beginnings, A new day has dawned, No need to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-j-forde/january-20th-2021-blow-the-trumpets-loud-salute-the-national-guard-in/) [Charmaine J Forde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-j-forde/) > [You take it from me, we are losing the war because we can salute too well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/you-take-it-from-me-we-are-losing-the-war-because-we-can-salute-too/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“The Nazi salute was performed by public officials in the USA from 1892 through 1942. The researcher Dr. Rex Curry asks 'What happened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micky-barnetti/the-nazi-salute-was-performed-by-public-officials-in-the-usa-from/) Micky Barnetti > [By all means use some time to be alone, salute thyself, see what thy soul doth wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/by-all-means-use-some-time-to-be-alone-salute-thyself-see-what-thy/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) ## More by Margaret Atwood > [“I'm fine," said Pilar, "for the moment. 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. I want all my hurts to be intentional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/and-yet-it-disturbs-me-to-learn-i-have-hurt-someone-unintentionally-i/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“The birds were singing around me, but I reflected that the very birds were strangers to me, for I did not even know their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-birds-were-singing-around-me-but-i-reflected-that-the-very-birds/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Strange how we decorate pain. These ribbons, for instance, and the small hard teardrops of blood. Who are they for? Do we think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/strange-how-we-decorate-pain-these-ribbons-for-instance-and-the-small/) [margaret atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I wanted to forget the past, but it refused to forget me; it waited for sleep, then cornered me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-wanted-to-forget-the-past-but-it-refused-to-forget-me-it-waited-for/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Back at home they drew the curtains and read, with disapproval, with relish, with avidity and glee - even the ones who'd never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/back-at-home-they-drew-the-curtains-and-read-with-disapproval-with/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“It's my fault. 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. The night is clear and warm, with a moon, almost full, enclosed in a nimbus of mist;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/simon-walks-back-to-the-house-alone-the-night-is-clear-and-warm-with/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“There is indeed something delightful about being able to combine obedience and disobedience in the same act.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/there-is-indeed-something-delightful-about-being-able-to-combine/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Every time the women appear, Snowman is astonished all over again. They're every known colour from the deepest black to whitest white, they're various…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/every-time-the-women-appear-snowman-is-astonished-all-over-again-they/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Once you publish a book, it is out of your control. 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 Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. 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