--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A state that denies its citizens their…" description: "\"A state that denies its citizens their basic rights becomes a danger to its neighbors as well: internal arbitrary rule will be reflected in arbitrary e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ad/vaclav-havel-2013_abolition_a-state-that-denies-its-citizens-their-b_1727902.jpg" --- # A state that denies its citizens their basic rights… ![“A state that denies its citizens their basic rights becomes a danger to its neighbors as well: internal arbitrary rule will be reflected in arbitrary external relations. The suppression of public opinion, the abolition of public competition for power and its public exercise opens the way for the…” quote by Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ad/vaclav-havel-2013_abolition_a-state-that-denies-its-citizens-their-b_1727902.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ad/vaclav-havel-2013_abolition_a-state-that-denies-its-citizens-their-b_1727902.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ad/vaclav-havel-2013_abolition_a-state-that-denies-its-citizens-their-b_1727902.jpg) > “A state that denies its citizens their basic rights becomes a danger to its neighbors as well: internal arbitrary rule will be reflected in arbitrary external relations. The suppression of public opinion, the abolition of public competition for power and its public exercise opens the way for the state power toarm itself in any way it sees fit… A state that does not hesitate to lie to its own people will not hesitate to lie to other states.” [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A state that violates its citizens’ rights inevitably becomes aggressive externally, as internal oppression mirrors external deceit. **In simple terms:** When a government oppresses its people, it also lies to other nations. Key Takeaway Protect citizens’ rights to ensure honest foreign relations. Themes rights government ethics foreign policy Mood critical hopeful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legislative reform - civil activism - diplomacy - media oversight - education programs Key Concepts political theory human rights international relations Questions to Reflect On - How can societies guard against internal oppression spilling outward? - What mechanisms ensure external honesty? A Different Perspective Even with rights, a state may act aggressively for strategic reasons. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abolition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abolition/) [Basic rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-rights/) [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Public opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-opinion/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Suppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suppression/) ## Related quotes > [By contrast, China is a repressive regime that denies its citizens the essential freedoms of religion, political dissent and representative self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-akin/by-contrast-china-is-a-repressive-regime-that-denies-its-citizens-the/) [Todd Akin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-akin/) > [Freedom is the emancipation from the arbitrary rule of other men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/freedom-is-the-emancipation-from-the-arbitrary-rule-of-other-men/) [Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/) > [By giving the government unlimited powers, the most arbitrary rule can be made legal; and in this way a democracy may set up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-august-von-hayek/by-giving-the-government-unlimited-powers-the-most-arbitrary-rule-can/) [Friedrich August von Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-august-von-hayek/) > [ Fascism is \[...\] arbitrary rule by a charismatic head of state. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tibor-r-machan/fascism-is-arbitrary-rule-by-a-charismatic-head-of-state/) [Tibor R. 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But I am not calling for totalitarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/russia-needs-a-strong-state-power-and-must-have-it-but-i-am-not/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Those who have the command of the arms in a country are masters of the state, and have it in their power to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/those-who-have-the-command-of-the-arms-in-a-country-are-masters-of/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Politics is about power. It is about the power of the state. It is about the power of the state as applied to individuals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rudd/politics-is-about-power-it-is-about-the-power-of-the-state-it-is/) [Kevin Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rudd/) ## More by Vaclav Havel > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [People who live in the post-totalitarian system know only too well that the question of whether one or several political parties are in power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/people-who-live-in-the-post-totalitarian-system-know-only-too-well/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [“For by this very fact, individuals confirm the system, fulfill the system, make the system, are the system.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/for-by-this-very-fact-individuals-confirm-the-system-fulfill-the/) [Václav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Hope is not a feeling of certainty that everything ends well. 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