--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if…" description: "\"If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are Governments armed with economic power as they are now with political power; if, in a word, we are to ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/oscar-wilde-16_authoritarian_if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-the_3129174.jpg" --- # If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are… ![“If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are Governments armed with economic power as they are now with political power; if, in a word, we are to have Industrial Tyrannies, then the last state of man will be worse than the first.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/oscar-wilde-16_authoritarian_if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-the_3129174.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/oscar-wilde-16_authoritarian_if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-the_3129174.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/oscar-wilde-16_authoritarian_if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-the_3129174.jpg) > “If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are Governments armed with economic power as they are now with political power; if, in a word, we are to have Industrial Tyrannies, then the last state of man will be worse than the first.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If economic power becomes authoritarian, it creates oppressive industrial regimes worse than previous states. **In simple terms:** Economic authoritarianism leads to worse oppression. Key Takeaway Beware concentration of economic power. Themes politics economics authoritarianism Mood cautious critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - government policy - corporate regulation - public awareness - activism Key Concepts Industrial tyranny power concentration Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance economic influence? - What safeguards prevent industrial tyranny? A Different Perspective Economic power alone may not guarantee oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authoritarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian/) [Authoritarian Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian-governments-631544/) [Capitalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalism/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Industrial Tyrannies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industrial-tyrannies-5526784/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-power/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Socialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialism/) [Socialism Authoritarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socialism-authoritarian-5526783/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) ## Related quotes > [It is true that authoritarian governments increasingly see the Internet as a threat in part because they see the U.S. government behind the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/it-is-true-that-authoritarian-governments-increasingly-see-the/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [Why do economists fall in love with authoritarian governments?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasheng-huang/why-do-economists-fall-in-love-with-authoritarian-governments/) [Yasheng Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasheng-huang/) > [North Korea aside, most authoritarian governments have already accepted the growth of the Internet culture as inevitable; they have little choice but to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/north-korea-aside-most-authoritarian-governments-have-already/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [As an Asst. Secretary of State, I often urged authoritarian governments around the world not to use emergency powers to defy their legislatures, courts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-malinowski/as-an-asst-secretary-of-state-i-often-urged-authoritarian-governments/) [Tom Malinowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-malinowski/) > [Authoritarian governments are now trying to ensure that the increasingly free flow of ideas and information through cyberspace fuels their economies without threatening their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/authoritarian-governments-are-now-trying-to-ensure-that-the/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [Private property creates for the individual a sphere in which he is free of the state. It sets limits to the operation of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/private-property-creates-for-the-individual-a-sphere-in-which-he-is/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“Submission can be forced with brutality. In the last century alone, over 100 million humans were murdered in the name of ideology by authoritarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-ilves/submission-can-be-forced-with-brutality-in-the-last-century-alone/) [Erika Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-ilves/) > [It is true that authoritarian governments increasingly see the internet as a threat in part because they see the US government behind the internet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/it-is-true-that-authoritarian-governments-increasingly-see-the-2/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [Democracy acknowledges the right to differ as well as the duty to settle differences peacefully. Authoritarian governments see criticism of their actions and doctrines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/democracy-acknowledges-the-right-to-differ-as-well-as-the-duty-to/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [“The Kremlin also is determined, along with China, to wrest control of the internet from the American-based committees which run it now. It wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucas/the-kremlin-also-is-determined-along-with-china-to-wrest-control-of/) [Edward Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucas/) > [Someone is going to figure out how to make this work and when they do, all the anti-gambling, over-regulating authoritarian governments will be exposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-ayre/someone-is-going-to-figure-out-how-to-make-this-work-and-when-they-do/) [Calvin Ayre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-ayre/) > [It is often in the name of cultural integrity as well as social stability and national security that democratic reforms based on human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/it-is-often-in-the-name-of-cultural-integrity-as-well-as-social/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [The fascinating thing to a dispassionate observer about the structure of life in the Soviet Union is that in their efforts to produce an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dos-passos/the-fascinating-thing-to-a-dispassionate-observer-about-the-structure/) [John Dos Passos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dos-passos/) > [We very clearly do not want an authoritarian regime... setting standards in the world marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratcliffe/we-very-clearly-do-not-want-an-authoritarian-regime-setting-standards/) [John Ratcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratcliffe/) > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Authoritarian quotes > [Sometimes it's easier for people who are in authority to be authoritarian, because people know where you stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/sometimes-it-s-easier-for-people-who-are-in-authority-to-be/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [We very clearly do not want an authoritarian regime... setting standards in the world marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratcliffe/we-very-clearly-do-not-want-an-authoritarian-regime-setting-standards/) [John Ratcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratcliffe/) > [Cumulatively, American society is sliding toward a new form of 'authoritarian democracy'. Elections continue, free speech is generally protected, institutions operate in accordance with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-a-falk/cumulatively-american-society-is-sliding-toward-a-new-form-of/) [Richard A. Falk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-a-falk/) > [“If you care about other people, that's now a very dangerous idea. If you care about other people, you might try to organize to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-care-about-other-people-that-s-now-a-very-dangerous-idea-if/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Democracy can exist only in the countries where people are brave! Coward nations always live under the authoritarian regimes!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/democracy-can-exist-only-in-the-countries-where-people-are-brave/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Even more than comparing society to a family, comparing it to a body makes an authoritarian ordering of society seem inevitable, immutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/even-more-than-comparing-society-to-a-family-comparing-it-to-a-body/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [We are not and will never be an authoritarian regime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/we-are-not-and-will-never-be-an-authoritarian-regime/) [Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/) > [Why do economists fall in love with authoritarian governments?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasheng-huang/why-do-economists-fall-in-love-with-authoritarian-governments/) [Yasheng Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasheng-huang/) > [“Just as in the Trump-Giuliani Ukraine conspiracy, we saw a ruthless, single-minded obsession with staying in power; a manifest lack of moral values, shame,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-yovanovitch/just-as-in-the-trump-giuliani-ukraine-conspiracy-we-saw-a-ruthless/) [Marie Yovanovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-yovanovitch/) > [North Korea aside, most authoritarian governments have already accepted the growth of the Internet culture as inevitable; they have little choice but to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/north-korea-aside-most-authoritarian-governments-have-already/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [I am the first authoritarian government elected to become a dictator and then resigning as a dictator. So this is the first dictator in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/i-am-the-first-authoritarian-government-elected-to-become-a-dictator/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [There is an authoritarian strain in all of Leftism-- because the bigger the government, the more it controls other peoples' lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/there-is-an-authoritarian-strain-in-all-of-leftism-because-the-bigger/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [My position and the state will never allow me to become a dictator, but an authoritarian style of rule is characteristic of me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/my-position-and-the-state-will-never-allow-me-to-become-a-dictator/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [You really don't create an authoritarian society unless you control the personal choices including the sexual choices of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hefner/you-really-don-t-create-an-authoritarian-society-unless-you-control/) [Hugh Hefner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hefner/) > [The question is: Particularly in the post-9/11 era, are societies becoming more liberal or more authoritarian?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-question-is-particularly-in-the-post-9-11-era-are-societies/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) [Browse all 185 Authoritarian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authoritarian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are Governments armed with economic power as they are now with political power; if, in a word, we are to have Industrial Tyrannies, then the last state of man will be worse than the first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-there-are-governments-armed-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authoritarian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-there-are-governments-armed-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/oscar-wilde-16_authoritarian_if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-the_3129174.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/oscar-wilde-16_authoritarian_if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-the_3129174.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/oscar-wilde-16_authoritarian_if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-the_3129174.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if there are Governments armed with economic power as they are now with…” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If the Socialism is Authoritarian; if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-there-are-governments-armed-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-the-socialism-is-authoritarian-if-there-are-governments-armed-with/#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 } } ] } ```