Chomsky Quote by Noam Chomsky
““When understanding fails, there is always more force in reserve. As the "experiments in material and human resources control" collapse and "revolutionary development" grinds to a halt, we simply resort more openly to the Gestapo tactics that are barely concealed behind the facade of pacification. When American cities explode, we can expect the same. The technique of "limited warfare" translates neatly into a system of domestic repression - far more humane, as will quickly be explained, than massacring those who are unwilling to wait for the inevitable victory of the war on poverty. Why should a liberal intellectual be so persuaded of the virtues of a political system of four-year dictatorship? The answer seem all to plain.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on political repression, 1970s, null
When understanding collapses, power resorts to covert repression, disguising authoritarian tactics as pacification.
In simple terms: Power hides oppression behind calm appearances.
Key Takeaway
Recognize hidden authoritarian measures.
Themes
politics
power
repression
authoritarianism
Mood
cautious
critical
serious
Type
political
analytical
warning
When to use this quote
- government policy
- social movements
- civil liberties
- media analysis
Key Concepts
control
covert tactics
state violence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do societies allow covert repression?
- What safeguards can prevent authoritarian drift?
A Different Perspective
Such tactics may be justified as temporary, but they erode democratic norms.
![“[T]he enduring problem for liberals, as for everyone else, is not whether history will judge them wise or foolish regarding the war on terrorism; it is, rather, the way that the past decade has splintered them away from other Americans. This fracture comes with a steep price: in today's toxic…” quote by George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/545/george-packer-2917_9-11_t-he-enduring-problem-for-liberals-as-fo_3141831.jpg)
![“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)
![“[A TV commercial] crossed my desk in 1986. It came with a press release boasting about an enormous production budget employed in service of what it termed a communications “breakthrough”. The secret of this particular breakthrough was the science of semiotics — i.e., conveying meaning via powerful…” quote by Bob Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/147/bob-garfield-61148_communication_a-tv-commercial-crossed-my-desk-in-1986_817180.jpg)