Authoritarian Quote by Robert Shea
“That the more authoritarian organizations survive and prevail goes generally unnoticed because people focus on the objectives of organizations, which are many and varied, rather than on their structures, which lend to be similar.”
About This Quote
Authoritarian groups persist because people focus on their varied goals, overlooking the similar structures that enable their survival.
In simple terms: People ignore the structural roots of authoritarianism.
Examine both goals and underlying structures of organizations.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- political movements
- corporate hierarchies
- social clubs
- online communities
- government agencies
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you identify hidden authoritarian structures?
- What steps can reduce structural power imbalances?
Structures can be subtle and harder to change than overt goals.