--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As it became impossible to believe in the…" description: "\"“As it became impossible to believe in the morality of the Soviet Union, a shrinking contingent of true believers shifted their devotions, first to com..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/stephen-r-c-hicks-12692_religion_as-it-became-impossible-to-believe-in-th_2731397.jpg" --- # As it became impossible to believe in the morality of the… ![“As it became impossible to believe in the morality of the Soviet Union, a shrinking contingent of true believers shifted their devotions, first to communist China under Mao. But then came revelations of even worse horrors in China in the 1960s—including 30 million deaths between 1959 and 1961…” quote by Stephen R.C. Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/stephen-r-c-hicks-12692_religion_as-it-became-impossible-to-believe-in-th_2731397.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/stephen-r-c-hicks-12692_religion_as-it-became-impossible-to-believe-in-th_2731397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/stephen-r-c-hicks-12692_religion_as-it-became-impossible-to-believe-in-th_2731397.jpg) > ““As it became impossible to believe in the morality of the Soviet Union, a shrinking contingent of true believers shifted their devotions, first to communist China under Mao. But then came revelations of even worse horrors in China in the 1960s—including 30 million deaths between 1959 and 1961. Then Cuba was the great hope, and then Vietnam, then Cambodia, then Albania for awhile in the late 1970s, and then Nicaragua in the 1980s. But the data and the disappointments piled up, all dealing a solid and devastating blow to socialism’s ability to claim a moral sanction.\[259\] One such set of summary data is reproduced below in the form of a table comparing liberal democratic, authoritarian, and totalitarian governments in terms of one measure of morality: the number of their own citizens those governments have killed.”” [Stephen R.C. Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-r-c-hicks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical evidence shows that socialist regimes have often resulted in massive loss of life, challenging moral claims of superiority. **In simple terms:** Socialist regimes caused massive deaths. Key Takeaway Question moral superiority of systems. Themes politics history morality authoritarianism Mood critical analytical serious Type political historical ethical When to use this quote - policy debates - academic research - human rights advocacy - education curricula Key Concepts political theory human rights historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - How do we assess moral claims of governments? - What alternatives prevent such tragedies? A Different Perspective Complex causes beyond ideology also contribute to atrocities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/) ## Related quotes > [We must not fall into the trap of projecting our own morality onto the Soviet leaders. 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