Autocracy Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Power has to be protected from scrutiny. That's the principle of every dictatorship, of every autocracy. You hear it from high priests at Harvard and every government department, that power has to be kept secret otherwise it will fade and it won't work. But Bradley Manning is violating that principle.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Guardian, 2013
Power thrives when hidden; transparency threatens authoritarian control.
In simple terms: Secret power stays strong; openness weakens it.
Key Takeaway
Demand openness, protect democracy.
Themes
politics
authority
transparency
whistleblowing
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
political
analytical
When to use this quote
- government oversight
- journalism
- activism
- legal reform
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
democracy
information control
Questions to Reflect On
- How does secrecy affect trust in institutions?
- What mechanisms ensure accountability?
A Different Perspective
Power may be justified as necessary secrecy, but secrecy can enable abuse.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
