--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Despotism has so often been established…" description: "\"Despotism has so often been established in the name of liberty that experience should warn us to judge parties by their practices rather than their pre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/raymond-aron-32279_despotism_despotism-has-so-often-been-established_406459.jpg" --- # Despotism has so often been established in the name of… ![“Despotism has so often been established in the name of liberty that experience should warn us to judge parties by their practices rather than their preachings.” quote by Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/raymond-aron-32279_despotism_despotism-has-so-often-been-established_406459.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/raymond-aron-32279_despotism_despotism-has-so-often-been-established_406459.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/raymond-aron-32279_despotism_despotism-has-so-often-been-established_406459.jpg) > “Despotism has so often been established in the name of liberty that experience should warn us to judge parties by their practices rather than their preachings.” [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Liberties are sometimes used to justify authoritarian rule; judge actions, not rhetoric. **In simple terms:** Beware of freedom used as a cover for control. Key Takeaway Assess policies, not slogans. Themes politics freedom authoritarianism Mood cautious critical Type analytical political When to use this quote - elections - legislation - public discourse - activism Key Concepts liberalism critical thinking power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify a party’s actions? - What freedoms are being limited? A Different Perspective Rhetoric can mask true intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despotism/) [Establishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/establishment/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) [Party](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/party/) [Populism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/populism/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Warning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warning/) ## Related quotes > [It would seem that if despotism were to be established among the democratic nations of our days, it might assume a different character; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/it-would-seem-that-if-despotism-were-to-be-established-among-the-2/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“It would seem that if despotism were to be established among the democratic nations of our days, it might assume a different character; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/it-would-seem-that-if-despotism-were-to-be-established-among-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Washington is dead! This great man fought against Tyranny; he established the liberty of his country. His memory will always be dear to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/washington-is-dead-this-great-man-fought-against-tyranny-he/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I draw a very clear distinction between populism and democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zbigniew-brzezinski/i-draw-a-very-clear-distinction-between-populism-and-democracy/) [Zbigniew Brzezinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zbigniew-brzezinski/) > [I would caution against fueling cheap populism. First of all, every German who has spent a vacation in Greece knows that the standard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/i-would-caution-against-fueling-cheap-populism-first-of-all-every/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) > [A lot of populists after populism died just became socialists. At the beginning of the 20th century, socialism looked like it was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/a-lot-of-populists-after-populism-died-just-became-socialists-at-the/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [Populism is not a style, it's a people's rebellion against the iron grip that big corporations have on our country - including our economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populism-is-not-a-style-it-s-a-people-s-rebellion-against-the-iron/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Trump is a product of a seething populism and nationalism that is the driving political force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bannon/trump-is-a-product-of-a-seething-populism-and-nationalism-that-is-the/) [Steve Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bannon/) > [The rise of populism has steadily coalesced movements of millions of people around its divisive us-against-them rhetoric, motivating so many more people to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/the-rise-of-populism-has-steadily-coalesced-movements-of-millions-of/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [Populism has had as many incarnations as it has had provocations, but its constant ingredient has been resentment, and hence whininess. Populism does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/populism-has-had-as-many-incarnations-as-it-has-had-provocations-but/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The rise of populism is in part a response to stagnating incomes and job loss, owing mostly to new technologies but widely attributed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/the-rise-of-populism-is-in-part-a-response-to-stagnating-incomes-and/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [The problem is some of the populism on both the far left and the far right, it can make a Tweet but not make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-problem-is-some-of-the-populism-on-both-the-far-left-and-the-far/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I chose to start Schwarzman Scholars because I saw the potential for the world to become focused and unhappy with China, in large part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-a-schwarzman/i-chose-to-start-schwarzman-scholars-because-i-saw-the-potential-for/) [Stephen A. Schwarzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-a-schwarzman/) > [Globalization is a reality. And this makes most leaders today realize that populist illusions can't be sustained before they collapse into stagnation and leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-henrique-cardoso/globalization-is-a-reality-and-this-makes-most-leaders-today-realize/) [Fernando Henrique Cardoso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-henrique-cardoso/) > [This work is either useless or harmful, because there is nothing good about populism. If you wanted to hear my opinion on this issue,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/this-work-is-either-useless-or-harmful-because-there-is-nothing-good/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) ## More by Raymond Aron > [“Europeans would like to escape from their history, a "great" history written in letters of blood. But others, by the hundreds of millions, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/europeans-would-like-to-escape-from-their-history-a-great-history/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [Skepticism cannot be revolutionary, even though it speaks the language of revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/skepticism-cannot-be-revolutionary-even-though-it-speaks-the-language/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [“In essence, France no longer existed. It existed only in the hatred of the French for one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/in-essence-france-no-longer-existed-it-existed-only-in-the-hatred-of/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [What passes for optimism is most often the effect of an intellectual error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/what-passes-for-optimism-is-most-often-the-effect-of-an-intellectual/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [The intellectual who no longer feels attached to anything is not satisfied with opinion merely; he wants certainty, he wants a system. The revolution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/the-intellectual-who-no-longer-feels-attached-to-anything-is-not/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [Peace is impossible, war is improbable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/peace-is-impossible-war-is-improbable/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [Racism is the snobbery of the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/racism-is-the-snobbery-of-the-poor/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [Intellectuals cannot tolerate the chance event, the unintelligible: they have a nostalgia for the absolute, for a universally comprehensive scheme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/intellectuals-cannot-tolerate-the-chance-event-the-unintelligible/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [“The man who no longer expects miraculous changes either from a revolution or from an economic plan is not obliged to resign himself to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/the-man-who-no-longer-expects-miraculous-changes-either-from-a/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [Political thought in France is either nostalgic or Utopian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/political-thought-in-france-is-either-nostalgic-or-utopian/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [Foreknowledge of the future makes it possible to manipulate both enemies and supporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/foreknowledge-of-the-future-makes-it-possible-to-manipulate-both/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [In a way, all sociologists are akin to Marxists because of their inclination to settle everyone's accounts but their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/in-a-way-all-sociologists-are-akin-to-marxists-because-of-their/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) > [In writing if it takes over 30 minutes to write the first two paragraphs select another subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/in-writing-if-it-takes-over-30-minutes-to-write-the-first-two/) [Raymond Aron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) [Explore all 14 Raymond Aron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/) ## More Despotism quotes > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [At a distance, we cannot conceive of the authority of a despot who knows all his subjects on sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stendhal/at-a-distance-we-cannot-conceive-of-the-authority-of-a-despot-who/) [Stendhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stendhal/) > [“The central government was a despotism tempered by military rebellion and assassination and replacement of one scurvy lot of ruling dynasts by another. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-f-cantor/the-central-government-was-a-despotism-tempered-by-military-rebellion/) [Norman F. Cantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-f-cantor/) > [When the savages of Louisiana wish to have fruit, they cut the tree at the bottom and gather the fruit. That is exactly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/when-the-savages-of-louisiana-wish-to-have-fruit-they-cut-the-tree-at/) [Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/) > [Republican despotism is more fertile in acts of tyranny, because everyone has a hand in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/republican-despotism-is-more-fertile-in-acts-of-tyranny-because/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Neither should men study war with a view to the enslavement of those who do not deserve to be enslaved; but first of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/neither-should-men-study-war-with-a-view-to-the-enslavement-of-those/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [If Despotism failed only for want of a capable benevolent despot, what chance has Democracy, which requires a whole population of capable voters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-despotism-failed-only-for-want-of-a-capable-benevolent-despot-what/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Liberty ... was a two-headed boon. There was first, the liberty of the people as a whole to determine the forms of their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/liberty-was-a-two-headed-boon-there-was-first-the-liberty-of-the/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“No longer enslaved or made dependent by force of law, the great majority are so by force of poverty; they are still chained to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/no-longer-enslaved-or-made-dependent-by-force-of-law-the-great/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [“All despotism is bad; but the worst is that which works with the machinery of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junius/all-despotism-is-bad-but-the-worst-is-that-which-works-with-the/) [Junius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junius/) > [But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-when-a-long-train-of-abuses-and-usurpations-pursuing-invariably/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Despotism often presents itself as the repairer of all the ills suffered, the support of just rights, defender of the oppressed, and founder of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/despotism-often-presents-itself-as-the-repairer-of-all-the-ills/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [A court which yields to the popular will thereby licenses itself to practice despotism, for there can be no assurance that it will not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/a-court-which-yields-to-the-popular-will-thereby-licenses-itself-to/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [“Despotism may govern without faith, but liberty cannot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/despotism-may-govern-without-faith-but-liberty-cannot/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) [Browse all 327 Despotism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despotism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Despotism has so often been established in the name of liberty that experience should warn us to judge parties by their practices rather than their preachings.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Raymond Aron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/despotism-has-so-often-been-established-in-the-name-of-liberty-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despotism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/despotism-has-so-often-been-established-in-the-name-of-liberty-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/raymond-aron-32279_despotism_despotism-has-so-often-been-established_406459.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/raymond-aron-32279_despotism_despotism-has-so-often-been-established_406459.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/903/raymond-aron-32279_despotism_despotism-has-so-often-been-established_406459.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Despotism has so often been established in the name of liberty that experience should warn us to judge…” — Raymond Aron", "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": "Raymond Aron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-aron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Despotism has so often been established...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/despotism-has-so-often-been-established-in-the-name-of-liberty-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-aron/despotism-has-so-often-been-established-in-the-name-of-liberty-that/#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 } } ] } ```