--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are historical analogs, which are…" description: "\"There are historical analogs, which are not exact, of course, but are close enough to be worrisome. This is a whiff of early Nazi Germany. [Adolf] Hitl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/noam-chomsky-42_analog_there-are-historical-analogs-which-are-n_19392.jpg" --- # There are historical analogs, which are not exact, of… ![“There are historical analogs, which are not exact, of course, but are close enough to be worrisome. This is a whiff of early Nazi Germany. [Adolf] Hitler was appealing to groups with similar grievances, and giving them crazy answers, but at least they were answers; these groups weren't getting…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/noam-chomsky-42_analog_there-are-historical-analogs-which-are-n_19392.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/noam-chomsky-42_analog_there-are-historical-analogs-which-are-n_19392.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/081/noam-chomsky-42_analog_there-are-historical-analogs-which-are-n_19392.jpg) > “There are historical analogs, which are not exact, of course, but are close enough to be worrisome. This is a whiff of early Nazi Germany. \[Adolf\] Hitler was appealing to groups with similar grievances, and giving them crazy answers, but at least they were answers; these groups weren't getting them anywhere else. It was the Jews and the Bolsheviks \[that were the problem\].” [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. The quote warns that contemporary political rhetoric mirrors early Nazi Germany by exploiting grievances and scapegoating minorities, suggesting a dangerous pattern of extremist solutions. **In simple terms:** Historical parallels to Nazi rhetoric Key Takeaway Beware of extremist scapegoating Themes history politics extremism propaganda social psychology Mood concern urgency caution Type warning analysis historical analogy When to use this quote - political discourse - media analysis - policy debates - academic research - public education Key Concepts scapegoating grievance exploitation authoritarianism danger of repetition Practical Applications - warning against repeating past mistakes - informing policy decisions Questions to Reflect On - What indicators suggest a society is repeating dangerous historical patterns? - How can societies address grievances without resorting to scapegoating? A Different Perspective some may argue the comparison is exaggerated, noting differences in context and scale ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bolsheviks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bolsheviks/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Grievance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grievance/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Jew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jew/) [Nazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazi/) [Nazi germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazi-germany/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [I'm sorry to say it has some historical analogs. It's kind of reminiscent of what happened in Germany in the late Weimar years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-m-sorry-to-say-it-has-some-historical-analogs-it-s-kind-of/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The Bolshevik revolution was a counter-revolution. Its first moves were to destroy and eliminate every socialist tendency that had developed in the pre-revolutionary period.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-bolshevik-revolution-was-a-counter-revolution-its-first-moves/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Anton Pannekoek didn't encourage radical workers and other activists of the anti-Bolshevik left to see revolutionary potential in his work in astronomy, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/anton-pannekoek-didn-t-encourage-radical-workers-and-other-activists/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Western intellectuals, and also Third World intellectuals, were attracted to the Bolshevik counter-revolution because Leninism is, after all, a doctrine which says that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/western-intellectuals-and-also-third-world-intellectuals-were/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“In just a bony fistful of years, classical Russian food culture vanished, almost without a trace. The country's nationalistic euphoria on entering World War…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anya-von-bremzen/in-just-a-bony-fistful-of-years-classical-russian-food-culture/) [Anya von Bremzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anya-von-bremzen/) > [The social model of the Bolsheviks failed, as will any model that denies individual rights, intellectual freedom, and freedom of competing political parties. Without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-gorbachev/the-social-model-of-the-bolsheviks-failed-as-will-any-model-that/) [Mikhail Gorbachev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-gorbachev/) > [The Bolsheviks could not have retained power for two and a half months, let alone two and a half years, without the most rigorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/the-bolsheviks-could-not-have-retained-power-for-two-and-a-half/) [Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/) > [Sincerity is all that counts. It's a widespread modern heresy. Think again. Bolsheviks are sincere. Fascists are sincere. Lunatics are sincere. People who believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-driberg/sincerity-is-all-that-counts-it-s-a-widespread-modern-heresy-think/) Tom Driberg > [“When the Bolsheviks came to power they were soft and easy with their enemies... we had begun by making a mistake. Leniency towards such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/when-the-bolsheviks-came-to-power-they-were-soft-and-easy-with-their/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [In the appendix to my History of the Russian Revolution I give a detailed and documented study of the ideas of the Bolshevik party…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/in-the-appendix-to-my-history-of-the-russian-revolution-i-give-a/) [Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/) > [ \[F\]or the most part football these days is the opium of the people, not to speak of their crack cocaine. Its icon is the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/f-or-the-most-part-football-these-days-is-the-opium-of-the-people-not/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The State, every government whatever its form, character or color - be it absolute or constitutional, monarchy or republic, Fascist, Nazi or bolshevik -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-state-every-government-whatever-its-form-character-or-color-be-it/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [I was a Stalinist in the '30s. I had come from a Russian revolutionary family who simply were elated by the fact that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-was-a-stalinist-in-the-30s-i-had-come-from-a-russian-revolutionary/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [The Bolsheviks started not just on the killing of private property; they were trying to abolish money itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/the-bolsheviks-started-not-just-on-the-killing-of-private-property/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [From the crown of my head to the soles of my feet I am Bolshevik, and proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/from-the-crown-of-my-head-to-the-soles-of-my-feet-i-am-bolshevik-and/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) ## 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 Analog quotes > ['Muppets' is incredibly analog, 'Alice' is very digital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bobin/muppets-is-incredibly-analog-alice-is-very-digital/) [James Bobin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bobin/) > [I think any new technology that helps connect and create social cohesion is great. But at the end of the day, you and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-guber/i-think-any-new-technology-that-helps-connect-and-create-social/) [Peter Guber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-guber/) > [I work with digital audio, which is like sculpting, a form of chiseling down metal or wood. And I take audio and move it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hecker/i-work-with-digital-audio-which-is-like-sculpting-a-form-of-chiseling/) [Tim Hecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hecker/) > [“But analog photography peaked in 2000.2”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-brynjolfsson/but-analog-photography-peaked-in-2000-2/) [Erik Brynjolfsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-brynjolfsson/) > [You can't live in the digital and die in the analog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/you-can-t-live-in-the-digital-and-die-in-the-analog/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [I started getting back into buying old analog gear while we were recording. Lots of old drum machines and synths. It wasn't a conscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-started-getting-back-into-buying-old-analog-gear-while-we-were/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [“Apart from live performance, vinyl analog recordings were Georgiou’s favorite way to enjoy music. Rich, warm, and so eerily present—that was the enduring appeal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mack/apart-from-live-performance-vinyl-analog-recordings-were-georgiou-s/) [David Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mack/) > [I'm a very tactile learner, so I need analog index cards, moving them all about, trying out various sequences for the book's architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-mohr/i-m-a-very-tactile-learner-so-i-need-analog-index-cards-moving-them/) [Joshua Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-mohr/) > [Oddly enough, Black Panther's almost like an analog to Tarzan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelfreeze/oddly-enough-black-panther-s-almost-like-an-analog-to-tarzan/) [Brian Stelfreeze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelfreeze/) > [As so much music is listened to via MP3 download, many will never experience the joy of analog playback, and for them, I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/as-so-much-music-is-listened-to-via-mp3-download-many-will-never/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [But the rhythm of the mix tape is the rhythm of romance, the analog hum of a physical connection between two sloppy, human bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/but-the-rhythm-of-the-mix-tape-is-the-rhythm-of-romance-the-analog/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [I'm not on any social media. I'm a bit analog when it comes to the Internet and technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-samuel/i-m-not-on-any-social-media-i-m-a-bit-analog-when-it-comes-to-the/) [Benedict Samuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-samuel/) > [I like to work with a combination of analog and Pro Tools. I love the sound of analog tape, but there's so many things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bush/i-like-to-work-with-a-combination-of-analog-and-pro-tools-i-love-the/) [Kate Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bush/) > [What we want to be is something completely new. There is no physical analog for what Amazon.com is becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/what-we-want-to-be-is-something-completely-new-there-is-no-physical/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [I have a Chamberlain I bought from some surfers in Westwood many years ago. It's an early analog synthesizer; it operates on tape loops.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-have-a-chamberlain-i-bought-from-some-surfers-in-westwood-many/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) Browse all 117 Analog quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are historical analogs, which are not exact, of course, but are close enough to be worrisome. This is a whiff of early Nazi Germany. [Adolf] Hitler was appealing to groups with similar grievances, and giving them crazy answers, but at least they were answers; these groups weren't getting them anywhere else. 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