--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know of only one country, at least to…" description: "\"I know of only one country, at least to my knowledge, which has a dissident culture where leading figures, I mean, the most famous writers, journalists..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/noam-chomsky-42_civil-disobedience_i-know-of-only-one-country-at-least-to-m_1301796.jpg" --- # I know of only one country, at least to my knowledge… ![“I know of only one country, at least to my knowledge, which has a dissident culture where leading figures, I mean, the most famous writers, journalists, academics and so on, are not only critical of state policy, but are constantly carrying out civil disobedience and risking imprisonment and often…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/noam-chomsky-42_civil-disobedience_i-know-of-only-one-country-at-least-to-m_1301796.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/noam-chomsky-42_civil-disobedience_i-know-of-only-one-country-at-least-to-m_1301796.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fcb/noam-chomsky-42_civil-disobedience_i-know-of-only-one-country-at-least-to-m_1301796.jpg) > “I know of only one country, at least to my knowledge, which has a dissident culture where leading figures, I mean, the most famous writers, journalists, academics and so on, are not only critical of state policy, but are constantly carrying out civil disobedience and risking imprisonment and often being imprisoned, standing up for people's rights. That's Turkey.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Turkey uniquely hosts a culture of dissent where intellectuals openly challenge the state despite personal risk. **In simple terms:** Turkey’s writers and scholars resist oppression. Key Takeaway Support free expression. Themes freedom of speech civil disobedience political dissent human rights Mood reflective serious Type critical informative When to use this quote - journalism - academic research - activism - legal advocacy Key Concepts authoritarianism civil society risk tolerance Questions to Reflect On - What protects dissenting voices in hostile regimes? - How does civil disobedience affect change? A Different Perspective State repression can silence dissent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-disobedience/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Disobedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disobedience/) [Dissident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissident/) [Dissidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissidents/) [Famous writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-writers/) [Imprisonment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprisonment/) [Journalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalist/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) ## Related quotes > [The "prophets" were what we would call dissident intellectuals. They provided critical geopolitical analysis, condemned the crimes of the powerful, called for justice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-prophets-were-what-we-would-call-dissident-intellectuals-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The people we call the prophets I think are the earliest dissident intellectuals, and they're treated like most dissident intellectuals - very badly. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-people-we-call-the-prophets-i-think-are-the-earliest-dissident/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The whole dissident idea attracts a lot of crazies. And then all of a sudden, without realizing it, you've become one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-duesberg/the-whole-dissident-idea-attracts-a-lot-of-crazies-and-then-all-of-a/) [Peter Duesberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-duesberg/) > [There was a period of time when I was very political, when I was at the university. It was like the late '60s, early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/there-was-a-period-of-time-when-i-was-very-political-when-i-was-at/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [There will always be dissident voices heard in the land, expressing opposition without alternatives, finding fault but never favor, perceiving gloom on every side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/there-will-always-be-dissident-voices-heard-in-the-land-expressing/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/in-some-ways-it-is-easier-to-be-a-dissident-for-then-one-is-without/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [The role of dissident is not, and should not be, a claim of membership in a communion of saints. In other words, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-role-of-dissident-is-not-and-should-not-be-a-claim-of-membership/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [The dissident does not operate in the realm of genuine power at all. He is not seeking power. He has no desire for office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/the-dissident-does-not-operate-in-the-realm-of-genuine-power-at-all-2/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [I don’t think of myself as a dissident, and I’m more of an immigrant than an exile,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-jin/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-a-dissident-and-i-m-more-of-an-immigrant/) [Ha Jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-jin/) > [“I am often described to my irritation as a 'contrarian' and even had the title inflicted on me by the publisher of one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-am-often-described-to-my-irritation-as-a-contrarian-and-even-had/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“adolescent who expresses dissident opinion more or less vocally can end up in a place like that. Some of the children arrive there from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/adolescent-who-expresses-dissident-opinion-more-or-less-vocally-can/) [Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/) > [Dissent is morally neutral. You can correctly call yourself a dissident because you like to kick puppies, but at the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/dissent-is-morally-neutral-you-can-correctly-call-yourself-a/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [To say, that Capt. Ingraham violated the rights of Turkey, is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/to-say-that-capt-ingraham-violated-the-rights-of-turkey-is-nonsense/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [But, although America cannot be justly charged with violating the rights of Turkey, Turkey nevertheless can be justly charged with violating the rights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerrit-smith/but-although-america-cannot-be-justly-charged-with-violating-the/) [Gerrit Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerrit-smith/) > [We expect Germany to push more strongly for democracy and human rights in Turkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selahattin-demirtas/we-expect-germany-to-push-more-strongly-for-democracy-and-human/) Selahattin Demirtas ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Civil disobedience quotes > [ \[Putin\] is a bully. And bullies only understand when we punch them in the nose, but we need to do that economically. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/putin-is-a-bully-and-bullies-only-understand-when-we-punch-them-in/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [When you say 'no' and you get on the streets and you do an act of civil disobedience, it changes your psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-bradbrook/when-you-say-no-and-you-get-on-the-streets-and-you-do-an-act-of-civil/) [Gail Bradbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-bradbrook/) > [There is all the difference in the world between the criminal's avoiding the public eye and the civil disobedience's taking the law into his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/there-is-all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-the-criminal-s/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [Racial discrimination in elections in Texas is no mere historical artifact. To the contrary, Texas has been found in violation of the Voting Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/racial-discrimination-in-elections-in-texas-is-no-mere-historical/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [My first civil disobedience arrest for social justice was in 1986 for protesting the SDI.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/my-first-civil-disobedience-arrest-for-social-justice-was-in-1986-for/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [Even here in America, we felt the cool, refreshing breeze of freedom when Nelson Mandela took the seat of Presidency in his country where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/even-here-in-america-we-felt-the-cool-refreshing-breeze-of-freedom/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Civil disobedience is a stimulation for the fighters and a challenge to the opponent, in the present instance, authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/civil-disobedience-is-a-stimulation-for-the-fighters-and-a-challenge/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“The only word these corporations know is more,” wrote Chris Hedges, former correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor, National Public Radio, and the New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/the-only-word-these-corporations-know-is-more-wrote-chris-hedges/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) > [A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-wise-man-will-not-leave-the-right-to-the-mercy-of-chance-nor-wish/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-became-convinced-that-noncooperation-with-evil-is-as-much-a-moral/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [New concepts should be introduced by the power of imagery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coop/new-concepts-should-be-introduced-by-the-power-of-imagery/) Douglas Coop > [Civil disobedience can help to focus attention on a particular injustice. It was used historically to highlight wrongs in society - turning ancient redwood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brune/civil-disobedience-can-help-to-focus-attention-on-a-particular/) [Michael Brune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-brune/) > [I see a lot of individual action when it comes to environmental questions really as a form of politics as a way of communicating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-jamieson/i-see-a-lot-of-individual-action-when-it-comes-to-environmental/) [Dale Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-jamieson/) > [“Our legislators have not yet learned the comparative value of free-trade and of freedom, of union, and of rectitude, to a nation. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-legislators-have-not-yet-learned-the-comparative-value-of-free/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 248 Civil disobedience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-disobedience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know of only one country, at least to my knowledge, which has a dissident culture where leading figures, I mean, the most famous writers, journalists, academics and so on, are not only critical of state policy, but are constantly carrying out civil disobedience and risking imprisonment and often being imprisoned, standing up for people's rights. 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