--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: East Germany was so total in its…" description: "\"East Germany was so total in its totalitarianism that everything was banned which wasn't compulsory.\" — P. J. O'Rourke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/p-j-o-rourke-184_banned_east-germany-was-so-total-in-its-totalit_82666.png" --- # East Germany was so total in its totalitarianism that… ![“East Germany was so total in its totalitarianism that everything was banned which wasn't compulsory.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/p-j-o-rourke-184_banned_east-germany-was-so-total-in-its-totalit_82666.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/p-j-o-rourke-184_banned_east-germany-was-so-total-in-its-totalit_82666.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/p-j-o-rourke-184_banned_east-germany-was-so-total-in-its-totalit_82666.png) > “East Germany was so total in its totalitarianism that everything was banned which wasn't compulsory.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## 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 sat how an extreme totalitarian regime suppresses any activity not mandated by the state, equating compulsory with permissible and banning all else. **In simple terms:** Totalitarianism bans non‑mandatory actions. Key Takeaway Freedom is limited to what the regime requires. Themes authoritarianism censorship state control individual liberty political satire Mood ironic critical cynical Type political satire historical observation When to use this quote - living under a repressive government - discussing political oppression - analyzing historical regimes - comparing modern surveillance to past dictatorships Key Concepts totalitarianism ban compulsory state power Practical Applications - educational curricula on 20th‑century politics - political commentary or satire pieces Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean for a society when the state decides what is allowed? - How does compulsory become synonymous with permissible? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Banned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banned/) [Compulsory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compulsory/) [East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east/) [East germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east-germany/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Germany Total](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany-total-1048461/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Humorous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humorous/) [Total Totalitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/total-totalitarianism-1048460/) [Totalitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarianism/) [Totalitarianism Banned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/totalitarianism-banned-1048459/) ## Related quotes > [“Everything not forbidden is compulsory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/everything-not-forbidden-is-compulsory/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“Let's say that the consensus is that our species, being the higher primates, Homo Sapiens, has been on the planet for at least 100,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/let-s-say-that-the-consensus-is-that-our-species-being-the-higher/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [America's public schools have served their purpose. Free and compulsory education was good for a somewhat unpromising young nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/america-s-public-schools-have-served-their-purpose-free-and/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [There is no virtue in compulsory government charity, and there is no virtue in advocating it. A politician who portrays himself as 'caring' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/there-is-no-virtue-in-compulsory-government-charity-and-there-is-no/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“The former East Germany hardly had a monopoly on complicity. Life’s every moment caught one out in one form or another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-russell/the-former-east-germany-hardly-had-a-monopoly-on-complicity-life-s/) [Paul Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-russell/) > [There was no special event that made me decide. I had collected some photos and the idea was in the back of my mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/there-was-no-special-event-that-made-me-decide-i-had-collected-some/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) > [There was no such thing as a solo career in East Germany. You had to get the best orchestra job that you could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-vogler/there-was-no-such-thing-as-a-solo-career-in-east-germany-you-had-to/) [Jan Vogler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-vogler/) > [It's a historical fact that the Stasi did horrible things and that they monitored a lot of people in East Germany, but I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-schwochow/it-s-a-historical-fact-that-the-stasi-did-horrible-things-and-that/) [Christian Schwochow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-schwochow/) > [“More riveting to me in the end than the politics of Berlin was the vast social experiment its division had become... it was possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-tippett/more-riveting-to-me-in-the-end-than-the-politics-of-berlin-was-the/) [Krista Tippett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-tippett/) > [ Okay, NATO expanded to East Berlin and East Germany. Under \[Bill\] Clinton NATO expanded further, to the former Russian satellites. In 2008 NATO formally… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/okay-nato-expanded-to-east-berlin-and-east-germany-under-bill-clinton/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I was the very first athlete in East Germany allowed to go professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katarina-witt/i-was-the-very-first-athlete-in-east-germany-allowed-to-go/) [Katarina Witt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katarina-witt/) > [You know, I grew up in the East part of Germany so we never had English in school, we had to learn Russian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/till-lindemann/you-know-i-grew-up-in-the-east-part-of-germany-so-we-never-had/) [Till Lindemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/till-lindemann/) > [ “The penalties for being an accessory to the attempt to flee the \[GDR\] were greater than the crime of trying to flee itself.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-funder/the-penalties-for-being-an-accessory-to-the-attempt-to-flee-the-gdr/) [Anna Funder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-funder/) > [We played an old U-Boat factory in East Germany once and that was massive - 35,000 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-flint/we-played-an-old-u-boat-factory-in-east-germany-once-and-that-was/) [Keith Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-flint/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More Banned quotes > [Former social media user who got sick of it all when I was banned at Digg in 2007. Now Im back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/former-social-media-user-who-got-sick-of-it-all-when-i-was-banned-at/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Political correctness is a major defect of the western ethos. Some Western countries have even passed blasphemy laws that would put you in legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/political-correctness-is-a-major-defect-of-the-western-ethos-some/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [Our main agenda is to have all guns banned of course. We must use whatever means possible. It doesn't matter if you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brady/our-main-agenda-is-to-have-all-guns-banned-of-course-we-must-use/) [Sarah Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brady/) > [I hate that word 'hate' - it should be banned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-appleton/i-hate-that-word-hate-it-should-be-banned/) [Nicole Appleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-appleton/) > [I tried to go to Kosovo to establish a statue to commemorate those who died during the wars, and to discuss moving on, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-dacic/i-tried-to-go-to-kosovo-to-establish-a-statue-to-commemorate-those/) [Ivica Dacic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-dacic/) > [Nonsmokers should be banned from buying any product a smoker created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-strummer/nonsmokers-should-be-banned-from-buying-any-product-a-smoker-created/) [Joe Strummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-strummer/) > [One of the lessons learned during the Vietnam War was that the depiction of wounded soldiers, of coffins stacked higher than their living guards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/one-of-the-lessons-learned-during-the-vietnam-war-was-that-the/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [Few things in life seem more sexy than a banned book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/few-things-in-life-seem-more-sexy-than-a-banned-book/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [I wanted to live with the \*\*\*\*ing manta rays, but they banned me from Sea World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-wanted-to-live-with-the-ing-manta-rays-but-they-banned-me-from-sea/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [The referee will now keep track of the time on the field and the shootouts have finally been banned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cobi-jones/the-referee-will-now-keep-track-of-the-time-on-the-field-and-the/) [Cobi Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cobi-jones/) > [As an author, you go into the school, it gets written about in the paper. It sucks that your book was banned, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-de-la-pena/as-an-author-you-go-into-the-school-it-gets-written-about-in-the/) [Matt de la Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-de-la-pena/) > [It's impossible to make a movie out of 'Naked Lunch.' A literal translation just wouldn't work. It would cost $400 million to make and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/it-s-impossible-to-make-a-movie-out-of-naked-lunch-a-literal/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [“Banning something is the easiest way to make it desirable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/banning-something-is-the-easiest-way-to-make-it-desirable/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [Many other countries have already banned human cloning, and there are efforts at the UN to make such a ban universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/many-other-countries-have-already-banned-human-cloning-and-there-are/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [I remember being banned from other houses as a younger child during the winter holiday season; I was the only one who didn't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-remember-being-banned-from-other-houses-as-a-younger-child-during/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) [Browse all 283 Banned quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/banned/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "East Germany was so total in its totalitarianism that everything was banned which wasn't compulsory.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. 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