--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The widespread abuse of prisoners is a…" description: "\"The widespread abuse of prisoners is a virtually foolproof indication that politicians are trying to impose a system--whether political, religious or e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/naomi-klein-1072_abuse_the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-v_3177254.jpg" --- # The widespread abuse of prisoners is a virtually foolproof… ![“The widespread abuse of prisoners is a virtually foolproof indication that politicians are trying to impose a system--whether political, religious or economic--that is rejected by large numbers of the people they are ruling. Just as ecologists define ecosystems by the presence of certain…” quote by Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/naomi-klein-1072_abuse_the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-v_3177254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/naomi-klein-1072_abuse_the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-v_3177254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/naomi-klein-1072_abuse_the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-v_3177254.jpg) > “The widespread abuse of prisoners is a virtually foolproof indication that politicians are trying to impose a system--whether political, religious or economic--that is rejected by large numbers of the people they are ruling. Just as ecologists define ecosystems by the presence of certain "indicator species" of plants and birds, torture is an indicator species of a regime that is engaged in a deeply anti-democratic project, even if that regime happens to have come to power through elections.” [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Widespread torture signals a regime's anti‑democratic nature, similar to indicator species showing ecosystem health. **In simple terms:** Torture shows a government is oppressive. Key Takeaway Recognize torture as a warning sign. Themes human rights political power democracy Mood concerned urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - policy analysis - activism - journalism - legal advocacy Key Concepts authoritarianism signal theory Questions to Reflect On - What other "indicator species" reveal systemic oppression? - How can societies respond when such signals appear? A Different Perspective Torture may be hidden, making detection difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Abuse Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse-prisoners-1152648/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Ecosystems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Indication Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indication-politicians-4889778/) [Indicators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indicators/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Prisoners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoners/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Regimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regimes/) [Rejected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejected/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Ruling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruling/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Torture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture/) [Torture Indicator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/torture-indicator-5806854/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [I know from personal experience that the abuse of prisoners will produce more bad than good intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-know-from-personal-experience-that-the-abuse-of-prisoners-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“The widespread abuse...is a virtually foolproof indication that politicians are trying to impose a system - whether political , religious or economic - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/the-widespread-abuse-is-a-virtually-foolproof-indication-that/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The abuse of prisoners hurts America's cause in the war on terror, endangers US service members who might be captured by the enemy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/the-abuse-of-prisoners-hurts-america-s-cause-in-the-war-on-terror/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Perhaps walking is best imagined as an 'indicator species,' to use an ecologist's term. An indicator species signifies the health of an ecosystem, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/perhaps-walking-is-best-imagined-as-an-indicator-species-to-use-an/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Inability to make decisions is one of the principal reasons executives fail. Deficiency in decision-making ranks much higher than lack of specific knowledge or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/inability-to-make-decisions-is-one-of-the-principal-reasons/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [If the Taliban comes back to power, the impact would be devastating. A country that has made great strides, in terms of development indicators,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-alexander/if-the-taliban-comes-back-to-power-the-impact-would-be-devastating-a/) [Chris Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-alexander/) > [SOME GIRLS WEAR PRADA. SOME GIRLS WEAR GLOCK 17 SHORT RECOIL SPRING-LOADED SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOLS WITH A LOADED CHAMBER INDICATOR AND A NONSLIP GRIP. - T-SHIRT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/some-girls-wear-prada-some-girls-wear-glock-17-short-recoil-spring/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [We cannot give our children what we don't have. Where we are on our journey of living and loving with our whole hearts is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-cannot-give-our-children-what-we-don-t-have-where-we-are-on-our/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Penguins are an indicator of the health of our watery planet, and if they are unable to survive, we had better take notice or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-tory-peterson/penguins-are-an-indicator-of-the-health-of-our-watery-planet-and-if/) [Roger Tory Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-tory-peterson/) > [The way I perform or the setup is always same - just me and a microphone and the text - and they usually have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-tompkins/the-way-i-perform-or-the-setup-is-always-same-just-me-and-a/) [Sue Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-tompkins/) > [Thus, flexibility, as displayed by water, is a sign of life. Rigidity, its opposite, is an indicator of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lawlor/thus-flexibility-as-displayed-by-water-is-a-sign-of-life-rigidity-its/) [Anthony Lawlor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lawlor/) > [I don't think a comedian should even be concerned with being cool or sexy, as soon as you do, you aren't a comedian any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-don-t-think-a-comedian-should-even-be-concerned-with-being-cool-or/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [At independence Kenya's economic indicators were equal to those of South Korea, but 45 years down the road, Korea's economy is 40 times that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raila-odinga/at-independence-kenya-s-economic-indicators-were-equal-to-those-of/) [Raila Odinga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raila-odinga/) > [Money is a poor indicator of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/money-is-a-poor-indicator-of-success/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [The way a culture treats women in birth is a good indicator of how well women and their contributions to society are valued and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ina-may-gaskin/the-way-a-culture-treats-women-in-birth-is-a-good-indicator-of-how/) [Ina May Gaskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ina-may-gaskin/) ## More by Naomi Klein > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [But we need to be very clear: because of our decades of collective denial, no gradual, incremental options are now available to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/but-we-need-to-be-very-clear-because-of-our-decades-of-collective/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [As I explored Trump's inextricable relationship with his commercial brand, and its implications for the future of politics, I began to see why so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/as-i-explored-trump-s-inextricable-relationship-with-his-commercial/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [It doesn't have the ability to think rationally this economic model. It thinks like a drug addict: 'Where can I get my next fix?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/it-doesn-t-have-the-ability-to-think-rationally-this-economic-model/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Fury is an entirely appropriate response to a system that sends young people to kill other young people in a war that never should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/fury-is-an-entirely-appropriate-response-to-a-system-that-sends-young/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Since the 1980s, we've been living in this era, really, of corporate rule, based on this idea that the role of government is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/since-the-1980s-we-ve-been-living-in-this-era-really-of-corporate/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [We live in a society that is powered by fossil fuels, but for the meantime, we're in it. Maybe there's, like, five people living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/we-live-in-a-society-that-is-powered-by-fossil-fuels-but-for-the/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I can tell you Donald Trump's products may not be made in America, but Donald Trump was made in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/i-can-tell-you-donald-trump-s-products-may-not-be-made-in-america-but/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Africa is poor because its investors and its creditors are unspeakably rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/africa-is-poor-because-its-investors-and-its-creditors-are/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [“It is a civilizational wake-up call. A powerful message—spoken in the language of fires, floods, droughts, and extinctions—telling us that we need an entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/it-is-a-civilizational-wake-up-call-a-powerful-message-spoken-in-the/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [“You have been negotiating all my life.” So said Canadian college student Anjali Appadurai, as she stared down the assembled government negotiators at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/you-have-been-negotiating-all-my-life-so-said-canadian-college/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [There's a property in Panama where Trump has collected somewhere around $30 million just from selling his name to this property - it's somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/there-s-a-property-in-panama-where-trump-has-collected-somewhere/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [When I went to Australia, I had this feeling, like, 'Wow, this is really a different country.' I think that feeling of genuine foreignness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/when-i-went-to-australia-i-had-this-feeling-like-wow-this-is-really-a/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I think there has been this really bad habit of environmentalists being insufferably smug, where they are sort of saying, 'This is the issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/i-think-there-has-been-this-really-bad-habit-of-environmentalists/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [GLHR... has used Greenpeace-style media antics to draw more public attention to the plight of sweatshop workers than the multimillion - dollar international trade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/glhr-has-used-greenpeace-style-media-antics-to-draw-more-public/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) [Explore all 291 Naomi Klein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The widespread abuse of prisoners is a virtually foolproof indication that politicians are trying to impose a system--whether political, religious or economic--that is rejected by large numbers of the people they are ruling. Just as ecologists define ecosystems by the presence of certain \"indicator species\" of plants and birds, torture is an indicator species of a regime that is engaged in a deeply anti-democratic project, even if that regime happens to have come to power through elections.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Naomi Klein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-virtually-foolproof-indication/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-virtually-foolproof-indication/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/naomi-klein-1072_abuse_the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-v_3177254.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/naomi-klein-1072_abuse_the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-v_3177254.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/naomi-klein-1072_abuse_the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-v_3177254.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The widespread abuse of prisoners is a virtually foolproof indication that politicians are trying to impose…” — Naomi Klein", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Naomi Klein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The widespread abuse of prisoners is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-virtually-foolproof-indication/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/the-widespread-abuse-of-prisoners-is-a-virtually-foolproof-indication/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```